Rachel Notley confirmed for leaders debate

NDPLeader Rachel Notley has now confirmed she will participate in a leaders debate this Thursday.

Initially when the debate was announced Friday only UCP Leader Jason Kenney, Liberal Leader David Khan and Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel had confirmed their participation.

Notley'sspokespersonCheryl Oatessaidat the time they were still "considering" the proposal for the debate.

"It's important Albertans have the opportunity to hear from theleaders. Our hope is that thedebatewill include all parties that were represented in the legislature," Oates said.

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Themedia consortium including CBC, CTV, Postmediaand Rogers guidelines say that only parties elected to the legislature under their current party banner were invited to participate.

Freedom Conservative Party Leader Derek Fildebrandttook to Twitter calling his exclusion "grossly undemocratic."

Flidebrandtwas elected in 2015 as a Wildrose MLA and served as aUCP MLA after the Wildroseand PC parties merged in 2017. He formed the FCP in 2018 after his departure from UCPcaucus.

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CTVanchor Tara Nelson will moderate, and panellists include:

• CBCAlberta provincial affairs reporter Kim Trynacity.
• Postmedialegislature reporter Emma Graney.
• CTV Edmonton anchor Erin Isfeld.
• CityNews reporter Courtney Theriault.

The debate will air live fromEdmonton on April 4 at 5:30 p.m. MT.

The 90-minute debate will be broadcast on CBC TV, Radio One andonline, and will be followed by 30 minutes of additional coverage after the event.

In the lead-up to the debate, voters can send in their questions tocalgarydebate@ctv.ca.

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