One of tonight's debaters will be the next Ontario Liberal leader

Will any of them pick up on former hopeful Vikram Handa’s proposals for a $22 minimum wage, free tuition and free GO Transit rides? The housing executive dropped out of the race Friday, saying he didn’t see a path to victory. 

A hot night in peak summer might not seem the best time for the event being streamed online to the general public, but organizers are looking to build interest and showcase the hopefuls. Deadlines for joining the party with the right to vote in the Nov. 21 contest loom in September. 

“It’s about people thinking ‘I want to be a part of this,’” said interim Liberal leader John Fraser. 

Former federal industry minister Navdeep Bains is leading in fundraising, followed by MPP Lee Fairclough (Etobicoke-Lakeshore). The spending limit is $1 million per candidate and the entry fee is $150,000 to be paid in installments by the end of October.

Also running are MPP Stephanie Bowman (Don Valley West) and two others who have never held public office: former policy adviser Dylan Marando, who worked for Justin Trudeau, Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne during their stints in power; and financial technology engineer Eric Lombardi, founder of housing advocacy group Good Neighbours Toronto.

Amid the din of Trump tariffs, tense trade negotiations, provincial and federal byelection campaigns, conflict involving Iran and a crowded news cycle, the candidates’ first task is to make an impression during the debate.

“You want to come out with something that’s going to capture the imagination right off the bat,” says veteran Liberal strategist Marcel Wieder.

“What you have to do is capture people’s attention with something out of the box in terms of a policy announcement.” 

But the trick is not to leave a mark on rivals because members of the Liberal party will be ranking their choices in order of preference on ballots to be cast three months from now. 

“As a candidate, you have to think about if I’m not your first choice, I want to be your second choice,” said Fraser, who is neutral in the race. “Second choice is really important to the outcome.”

To date, the candidates have been working the phones and travelling the province to talk to party members at meet-and-greets organized by the party and in other venues from coffee shops to living rooms and backyards. 

The debate taking place in a Brampton studio at 7 p.m. will begin with introductory statements from the candidates followed by segments on issues including health care, education, affordability, the economy and defeating Ford.

While there will be more debates throughout the fall, candidates are eager to make connections now with potential supporters and recruit volunteers because campaigns for municipal elections across the province Oct. 26 will rev up after Labour Day, providing competition for resources and attention.

As the only hopeful with time in government, Bains is expected to tout his experience in former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet while Fairclough will highlight her background as a hospital CEO and Bowman her years as an accountant and senior bank executive. 

The other three will likely be “a little more aggressive” than the established politicians, said Wieder, president of Aurora Strategy Global.

“I can see someone like an Eric Lombardi challenging Nav or Lee or Stephanie and being a little more pointed.”