WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s three main party leaders are set to square off today in the first leaders forum of the election campaign.

The Manitoba Heavy Construction Association is hosting the event, and the leaders are scheduled to face each other again next week in a televised one-hour debate.

Meanwhile, the list of candidates for the Oct. 3 election has taken shape, now that the nomination deadline has passed.

The Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats have a full slate of 57 candidates each.

The Liberals were unable to field candidates in eight constituencies, and that means votes there are up for grabs by the other parties.

The constituencies include Dauphin, Selkirk and Dawson Trail, which are held by the Tories but have voted NDP in the past.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2023.

The Canadian Press