BC Liberal Party to host live debate for 6 party leadership candidates

The B.C. Legislature is seen in Victoria in an undated photo from Shutterstock.com

Vancouver — Those hoping to lead the BC Liberal Party are going head-to-head this Tuesday in a live debate.

BC Liberal leadership candidates will participate in the internal campaign's first debate on Tuesday, which will be livestreamed through the party's website and Facebook page.

The leadership competition, which launched in February of 2021, will conclude with an internal election in which party members can vote on Feb. 5, 2022. It comes after the party was defeated by an NDP majority government in October 2020 with the then-leader Andrew Wilkinson at its helm.

The race includes six candidates: Kelowna MLA Renee Merrifield, Skeena MLA Ellis Ross, MLA Michael Lee, former Chamber of Commerce executive director Val Litwin, former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon, and Vancouver entrepreneur and former Liberal byelection candidate Gavin Dew.

The new leader will replace Wilkinson, who held the position as leader from February 2018 to February 2021. When the new leader is elected, the interim leader Shirley Bond, will step aside.

With files from The Canadian Press.