All 5 candidates clear latest Liberal leadership financial hurdle

All five candidates have raised the $125,000 required for their Liberal leadership bid before Friday’s deadline, allowing them to stay in the running. 

To compete to become the next Liberal leader, and by extension Canada’s next prime minister, candidates need to pay $350,000, made in instalments. A hefty sum, $125,000, was due at 5 p.m. Friday. 

Two initial payments of $50,000 served to launch candidates’ campaigns and then obtain access to the party’s membership list. The final instalment of $125,000 is due Feb. 17. 

Former House leader Karina Gould thanked her supporters in a post on X published Friday.

“I can officially report that, after another record-breaking day yesterday, we’ve reached today’s fee deadline,” she wrote.

Four other candidates approved by the party say they’re still in the race to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

Chrystia Freeland’s campaign said on Wednesday the former deputy prime minister had paid the fee.

Montreal businessman Frank Baylis told CBC’s Power & Politics host David Cochrane on Thursday he was on track to meet the Feb. 7 deadline “no problem.”

A spokesperson for former central banker Mark Carney confirmed Friday he had paid the instalment, as did a spokesperson for Ruby Dhalla, former MP for Brampton-Springdale.

WATCH | Gould says Liberal Party will have to answer for its high leadership race fee: 

Gould says Liberal Party trying to keep people out of race, as next deadline nears

12 days ago

Duration 19:56

Liberal leadership candidate Karina Gould says the ‘extremely aggressive fundraising deadline’ is part of the party’s efforts to keep people out of the race. Power & Politics hears from Gould and fellow leadership hopeful Frank Baylis on efforts to meet Friday’s fundraising deadline of $125,000.

Gould said on Thursday she was “confident” her campaign would meet the imminent deadline but said the “very high” entrance fee set by the party had consequences.   

“That means that there are a number of potential candidates that may have run that didn’t, and there are a couple that have already dropped out because of that,” she told Cochrane. 

During a news conference earlier on Thursday, the Burlington, Ont., MP called out “the party establishment” for keeping people out of the race.

She said 85 per cent of her donations are $200 or less, which she interprets as support from everyday Canadians. Gould’s campaign said Friday the average donation is $150.

The Liberal Party will choose its next leader — and Canada’s next prime minister — on March 9.