The UBC chapter of Engineers Without Borders Canada is organizing a debate this month among candidates in the March 17 federal by-election in Vancouver Quadra—minus Conservative contender Deborah Meredith.

The group, according to its outreach coordinator, Andrew Young, had previously arranged an all-candidates debate set for February 7, but the Conservative team eventually decided not to participate. The debate’s subject matter was how Canada is using aid money to assist poor countries across the world.

Young noted that Meredith’s campaign team felt that the audience wouldn’t be friendly to the Conservative candidate. “We’re a little frustrated,” he told the Straight. “I wasn’t actually that surprised, partially because I’ve been working on it for almost a month and they’ve been kind of jerking me back and forth.”

Green candidate Dan Grice told the Straight that the debate would have been the first before a live audience for the candidates—who include Liberal Joyce Murray and New Democrat Rebecca Coad—following a radio debate in January.