The Liberal Party of Canada announced on Saturday afternoon that it will organize two leadership debates, one in English and another in French, in Montreal at the end of February.
In a press release, the Liberal Party said the French debate will take place on February 24 and the English debate will occur the next day, on February 25.
Until now, five candidates remain in the race to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
They are: Mark Carny, former governor of the Bank of Canada; Chrystia Freeland, former Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister; Karina Gould, former camera leader; Frank Baylis, former liberal deputy; and Ruby Dhalla, also former liberal deputy.
But it is not guaranteed that the five leadership applicants will reach the debate stage, since there is a great financial obstacle to clear the week before the debates.
To compete to become the next liberal leader, and for the next Prime Minister of Extension Canada, candidates must pay $ 350,000, made in installments. A considerable sum, $ 125,000, was due at 5 pm on Friday, which the five candidates paid.
Two initial payments of $ 50,000 served to launch candidate campaigns and then obtain access to the list of party members. The final delivery of $ 125,000 expires on February 17.
In January, Freeland asked the Liberal Party in an open letter to celebrate four debates, two in English and two in French, to “show the Canadians that we, as a party, are up to the height of defeating Pierre Poilievre.”
“The Canadians deserve to see us debate our ideas and the way to follow for our party and our country without delay,” Freeland wrote in his letter to his competitors who were shared widely.
The Liberal Party will choose its next leader, and the next Prime Minister of Canada, on March 9.
