'We reserve the right to cut mics': What to expect during the B.C. leaders' debate Tuesday

The leaders of B.C.'s three main political parties will be facing off Tuesday evening for their first and only televised debate ahead of the Oct. 19 election. Here's what viewers can expect.

NDP Leader David Eby, Conservative Leader John Rustad and Green Leader Sonia Furstenau will be answering tough questions – and challenging one other – on some of the biggest issues of this election campaign, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The event will be broadcast on television and streamed online through a consortium of news organizations, including CTV News Vancouver.

Moderator Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, said she's expecting "vigorous" exchanges, particularly during the open debate portions of the evening, but noted that the candidates will be expected to conduct themselves respectfully.

"We want to have a lot of time and room for them to engage with each other, but they can't be talking over each other," Kurl told CTV News.

"We reserve the right to cut mics if we have to. I prefer to appeal to people's better angels first – and you're a bit like a mom up there, you're just trying to get them to do the right thing – but if we have to cut mics, we will."

When the candidates' mics are on, Kurl said the event will offer them an opportunity to share their vision for the province directly with voters – particularly those who have been too busy to follow the flurry of political announcements the NDP, Conservatives and Greens have made since the writ dropped last month.

"I'm really looking for the leaders to bring out their best," Kurl said.

"I expect them to do that by hopefully by sticking to the issues and the substance, but, you know, they're going to do what they're going to do."

Eby, Rustad and Furstenau will also face difficult questions about their platforms and their records. None of the topics will be shared with the candidates ahead of the debate, Kurl said.

"It's not going to be a walk through Stanley Park," she added. "This is an important job that they are seeking to get from British Columbians, so they're going to have to be on their game."

Following the event, all three of the candidates are scheduled to appear at a post-debate media conference, where they will take further questions from reporters about their performance.

There's likely to be much disagreement about which candidate came out on top, from voters with different priorities.

Kurl said she expects many viewers will be paying extra close attention to how the candidates address their personal "ballot question" – the top issue of the campaign, in their opinion.

"For some people that will be housing affordability, for some people that will be another issue," Kurl said. "But they're going to be listening to what each leader has to say about the issue that is the most important to them."

The debate will be viewable from this article, or the CTV News Vancouver homepage, beginning at 6:30 p.m.