A committee within the Liberal Party of Canada unanimously decided on Friday to disqualify former MP Ruby Dhalla from the leadership race. Azam Ishmael, the party’s national director, stated that Dhalla had committed 10 violations related to the party’s leadership and expense regulations. The committee found these violations to be extremely serious after a thorough review process that included interviews and questionnaires.
The party expressed concerns that Dhalla may have breached the Canada Elections Act and other election finance matters, including non-disclosure of material facts and inaccurate financial reporting. This official statement followed CBC News breaking the details of the vote earlier in the day.
Additionally, it was alleged that Dhalla failed to disclose the involvement of a non-Canadian citizen in her campaign, potentially constituting foreign interference during an election period. Dhalla was informed of her disqualification live on television and subsequently went on CBC’s Power & Politics to defend herself. She asserted that the allegations against her were fabricated and meant to secure Mark Carney’s position as the frontrunner in the race.
Despite her disqualification, Dhalla has filed an appeal as permitted by party rules. The party had recently withheld $21,000 in contributions to her campaign, investigating whether 12 donors had exceeded the maximum contribution limits. The Liberal Party reached out to donors who made multiple maximum contributions on the same credit card to verify the transactions.
Dhalla’s campaign had emphasized her outsider status and proposed policies diverging from current Liberal positions, such as deporting illegal immigrants and imposing harsh penalties for drug possession. Despite meeting the entry fee requirements, she was denied an interpreter for a French-language debate. The remaining candidates include Frank Baylis, Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland, and Karina Gould.
Experts suggest that the party likely had substantial evidence to disqualify Dhalla and that her elimination from the race is unlikely to significantly alter its dynamics. The vote to select the new party leader will take place on March 9.
