The first Liberal leadership debate takes place Sunday, Jan. 20 at the Westin Bayshore hotel in Vancouver (4pm ET / 1pm PT). The party will sell tickets to the public for $20 beginning next week.
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Party members can also pay extra for a post-debate meet-and-greet with the candidates.
Admission was free to last year's NDP leadership debates that culminated with Thomas Mulcair's victory at the March convention in Toronto.
Seven candidates are officially registered with the Liberal Party of Canada. Jan. 13 is the deadline for hopefuls to pay the $75,000 entry fee and join the race with the signed support of 300 party members.
Here is the ballot so far:
- Deborah Coyne
- Marc Garneau
- Martha Hall Findlay
- Karen McCrimmon
- Joyce Murray
- George Takach
- Justin Trudeau
Three others have declared themselves to be prospective candidates: David Bertschi, David Merner, and Jonathan Mousley.
The winner will be announced on April 14 in Ottawa. Candidates will give speeches and debate the previous weekend in Toronto (Friday, April 6).
Debates are also planned for Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax between Jan. 20 and March 23.
The party is using a preferential ballot that gives equal weight to each of Canada's federal ridings. The last-place finisher on each ballot will be eliminated and their votes redistributed to the second choice.
The biggest change revolves around who can actually vote. Liberals opted earlier this year to allow "supporters" to join paid members in selecting the leader. Supporters cannot belong to another party and must promise to support Liberal principles.
Bob Rae became interim leader in May 2011 following the party's third-place election finish and the resignation of Michael Ignatieff. Party members chose to delay a full leadership vote until spring 2013.
-Andrew Thomson
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