OTTAWA—The Conservative Party of Canada’s plan to host a third leadership debate in August may be crumbling, with one candidate refusing to attend and another mulling whether it’s really necessary.
The campaign for perceived front−runner Pierre Poilievre announced Thursday the longtime MP won’t take part in the debate, facing the consequence of a hefty fine.
Jenni Byrne, a senior member of Poilievre’s team, released a scathing statement on Twitter explaining his decision after the party announced earlier in the day it would proceed with a debate in early August.
Conservative party rules spell out candidates must participate in official leadership debates or face an “automatic $50,000 penalty.”…