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Update: After this article’s publication, Patrick Brown withdrew from the leadership race. The story has been updated to reflect that.

Global News Radio 980 CFPL will be hosting a debate for Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership candidates on Thursday, March 1.

Hosted in London, Ont., the debate will be broadcast live on 980 CFPL and streamed on Facebook.

All five candidates in the field were invited. Confirmed participants are Tanya Granic Allen, Christine Elliott, and Doug Ford.

Caroline Mulroney’s campaign declined the invitation. Patrick Brown was slated to attend, but withdrew from the race.

The moderator will be Andrew Lawton, Global News commentator and host of the Andrew Lawton Show. Lawton will be posing questions to the candidates that address a range of issues – including those specifically of concern to the southwestern Ontario region.

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“As the corridor between Canada and the United States, a region with both urban and rural voters, and an area of the province that has seen significant decline under the current Liberal government, southwestern Ontario is of the utmost significance not just for the PC party, but for the province,” said Lawton.

“By taking part in this debate, candidates are demonstrating they understand the stakes of the election and aim to represent all parts of Ontario.”

The next leader of the PC party will be announced March 10, though the party’s hundreds of thousands of members begin voting on March 2, just one day after the southwestern Ontario debate.

Listen to the debate from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 1 by tuning into 980 CFPL on the radio or watching live on 980 CFPL’s Facebook page.

Listeners can submit questions for the candidates to Lawton by email at andrew@980cfpl.ca or on Twitter at @andrewlawton.