Steve Bannon, the controversial former strategist for U.S. President Donald Trump, is set to defend the issue of populism in a debate with conservative commentator David Frum in Toronto this fall.

The announcement of the event 鈥� part of the Munk Debates 鈥� comes days after Bannon was dropped from the speakers list at next month鈥檚 New Yorker Festival following intense backlash and threats of a boycott by other guests.

Munk organizers announced Wednesday that Bannon is expected to argue in favour of the proposition that 鈥渢he future of western politics is populist, not liberal鈥� at the debate on Nov. 2.

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Rudyard Griffiths, the debates鈥� organizer and chair, said the event, which is scheduled days before the U.S. midterm elections, will showcase the two men鈥檚 鈥渟harply different views鈥� on the surging populist movement and its impact on Western politics.

鈥淲e believe we are providing a public service by allowing their ideas to be vigorously contested and letting the public draw their own conclusions from the debate,鈥� he said in a statement.

鈥淚n our increasingly polarized societies we often struggle to see across ideological and moral divides. Civil and substantive public debate of the big issues of our time helps all of us better understand the challenges we face as a society and what, if anything, can be done to resolve them.鈥�

Frum, a senior editor at The Atlantic magazine, was a speechwriter for former president George W. Bush and is the author of the recent book 鈥淭rumpocracy.鈥� He said the planned debate with Bannon would be an important discussion.

鈥淟iberal democracy is founded on the belief that free people can be inspired to make wiser choices by words and ideas,鈥� he wrote in statement posted on Twitter. 鈥淢r. Bannon comes to the prestigious Munk platform because he believes his words can persuade people to follow him. I will face him there because I believe democratic ideas can defeat him.鈥�

The New Yorker鈥檚 announcement Monday that Bannon was invited, then un-invited, to the magazine鈥檚 festival set off a heated debate about whether it was better to challenge or shun Bannon.

Bannon, meanwhile, said in a statement Monday that he had welcomed the opportunity to face off with the magazine鈥檚 editor, David Remnick.

鈥淭he reason for my acceptance was simple: I would be facing one of the most fearless journalists of his generation,鈥� Bannon said. 鈥淚n what I would call a defining moment, David Remnick showed that he was gutless when confronted by the howling mob.鈥�

Bannon is still set to speak at a festival hosted by The Economist later this month.

Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, said she was deeply troubled by Bannon鈥檚 far right stances but believed open debate was more important.

Beddoes will be interviewing Bannon in New York on Sept. 15 at The Economist鈥檚 鈥淥pen Future鈥� gathering. Some speakers at the event have cancelled because of Bannon.

Bannon, former executive chairman of right-wing Breitbart 亚洲天堂, was chief strategist and senior counsellor to Trump until August 2017.

鈥� with files from the Associated Press.

Paola Loriggio , The Canadian Press

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