Liberal leadership debate #4: The match-ups

Today's Liberal leadership debate, the fourth in the series,  is in Halifax. Clearly everyone was happy with the head-to-head format of the last one (which provoked some sparks), so we're getting another series of one-on-one encounters this afternoon. As was in the case in the GTA debate, these consist of one candidate asking a question of the other.  And to add to the tension, this debate is taking place on the very last day for the candidates to sign up voting members and supporters.  So there's lots at stake here in Halifax. 

For those who want to follow along at home, here's the program: 

After the opening remarks and the anthem, there will be eight one-on-one encounters, of three minutes each, based on the following themes: Regional Development; Women’s Issues;  Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Health Care; Job Creation; Defence; Foreign Policy. Those encounters will go in this order: 

Marc Garneau asks Martha Hall Findlay

Justin Trudeau asks Deborah Coyne

Joyce Murray asks Karen McCrimmon

Martin Cauchon asks David Bertschi

Deborah Coyne asks Joyce Murray

David Bertschi asks Marc Garneau

Martha Hall Findlay asks Martin Cauchon

Karen McCrimmon asks Justin Trudeau

The next set of encounters are open (i.e., on any issue the candidate chooses.) They work this way: 

David Bertschi asks Martin Cauchon

Marc Garneau asks Joyce Murray

Deborah Coyne asks Martha Hall Findlay

Martin Cauchon asks Karen McCrimmon

Joyce Murray asks Justin Trudeau

Karen McCrimmon asks David Bertschi

Martha Hall Findlay asks Deborah Coyne

Justin Trudeau asks Marc Garneau

Next is a series of three-person, mini-debates: 

Martha Hall Findlay, Justin Trudeau, Martin Cauchon

Deborah Coyne, David Bertschi, Karen McCrimmon

David Bertschi, Martha Hall Findlay, Joyce Murray

Karen McCrimmon, Martha Hall Findlay, Marc Garneau

Marc Garneau, Joyce Murray, Deborah Coyne,

Justin Trudeau, Joyce Murray, Martin Cauchon

Karen McCrimmon, Justin Trudeau, Deborah Coyne

Marc Garneau, Martin Cauchon, David Bertschi

And then, it's closing statements. (There were no such statements in the GTA debate.) They'll go in this order: 

David Bertschi

Karen McCrimmon

Justin Trudeau

Deborah Coyne

Martha Hall Findlay

Marc Garneau

Martin Cauchon

Joyce Murray

 

And finally, the scrums afterward, lasting just three minutes each: 

Deborah Coyne

Marc Garneau

Joyce Murray

Martin Cauchon

Karen McCrimmon

David Bertschi

Justin Trudeau

Martha Hall Findlay

 

And that's it! See you on the other side, as they say. I'll be watching from what I'm told is a very crowded room at Pier 21 in Halifax.