OTTAWA—Comedian Rick Mercer has stepped forward with an offer to host a one-on-one debate between Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff at Massey Hall in Toronto, with proceeds going to charities of the leaders’ choice.

Ignatieff has notified Mercer he’s interested, sending a message to him on Twitter on Saturday afternoon that said, simply: “I’m in.” He later said his charity of choice for the debate, if it happens, is the Alzheimer Society.

Harper has not responded so far, but indicated last week that he’d rather campaign across the country than participate in multiple debates.

Mercer’s comedic talent has had a powerful ripple effect before in Canadian election campaigns, notably in 2000, when he launched a petition to change the name of the then-leder of the Canadian Alliance, Stockwell Day, to Doris Day. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians signed the petition, which contributed to efforts by Day’s rivals to cast him as an un-serious candidate for the job of prime minister.

Mercer’s intervention in this campaign comes after days of conflicting speculation over whether Harper and Ignatieff would square off in their own debate, in addition to the televised leaders’ debates featuring four leaders on April 12 and 14. Though Harper seemed initially in favour of a match-up with Ignatieff, he said later in the week that he was interested in such a debate only if it came instead of the ones with the leaders present.

Mercer sent out a tweet Friday night, saying: “Ok hell i will rent massey put the camera’s in place and moderate the Harper Iggy smackdown.”

That offer was immediately greeted with hundreds of endorsements on Twitter. Mercer then restated the offer: “Ok i’ll produce a Iggy Harper debate. 50 grand to a charity of their choice. I’ll find a broadcaster or 4.”

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