Now the contenders will turn their focus from signing up new members to actively campaigning to attract votes before March 9
OTTAWA — Now, the race to sway the Liberal membership begins.
The deadline for Liberal supporters to register to vote for their next leader ended on Monday, at 5 p.m., which means leadership contenders will now turn their focus from signing up new members to actively campaigning to attract votes before March 9.
The Liberal Party of Canada approved former central banker Mark Carney, MPs Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould and Jaime Battiste, as well as former MPs Frank Baylis and Ruby Dhalla, to run in the leadership race. They also have to be confirmed by Elections Canada.
MP Chandra Arya said in a social media post he was informed over the weekend by the Liberal party that he would not be permitted to take part in the leadership race.
While Arya said he was “carefully considering” his next steps, he said the decision to exclude him “raises significant questions about the legitimacy of the leadership race and, by extension, the legitimacy of the next Prime Minister of Canada.”
Hours later, leadership contender Dhalla appealed to Arya’s disappointed supporters, promising to be “very strong voice” for them and saying that she would become the first Canadian prime minister from the Indo-Canadian community.
The Liberal party would not specifically say why Arya was disqualified.
But the party’s national leadership rules say that a prospective candidate may be excluded if they have demonstrated that they are “manifestly unfit” for the position of leader due to public statements, past improper conduct or a lack of commitment to democracy.
It remains unclear if Arya’s disqualifying actions include his comments about not speaking French and claiming Quebecers do not care if their prime minister does, or if it has more to do with his positions on combating foreign interference and recent travels to India.
On Monday, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, who was recently serving as chair of the National Security Committee of parliamentarians, declined to comment on the issue.
“I saw the announcement and I really have no insight or comment,” he said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly put an emphasis on Arya’s recent comments regarding Canada’s French-speaking population, which she said were “unacceptable.”
“I expect the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada to be fully bilingual because we are in a bilingual country, we are the party of official bilingualism, and it is at the core of our DNA.”
Minister of Families Jenna Sudds described Arya, who represents an Ottawa riding as she does, as a “cherished” colleague but would not comment on the situation.
Carney has been collecting caucus endorsements and showing growing momentum over the weekend, holding a rally in Toronto with Housing Minister Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and campaigning in Shawinigan with Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.
Carney has so far not released any policies, but after being chased by media outlets in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, he finally started to give short interviews.
Freeland and Gould, for their part, have been campaigning in a more traditional manner, unveiling clear promises and policies and granting multiple media interviews.
On Sunday evening, Freeland was the first Liberal leadership contender to go to the high-stakes Quebec TV talk show Tout le monde en parle, which attracts about 1.2 million viewers per episode and has propelled some politicians to instant fame in the province.
She made the case as to why she was the best placed to take on U.S. President Donald Trump — who she says used to call her “the killer” — and how Carney could serve as her finance minister if she becomes prime minister.
“He makes an excellent public servant,” she said of her leadership competitor.
Gould has been representing herself as a future leader who can relate and appeal to everyday Canadians, adding that she does not have “deep pockets” like her rivals.
As of Monday, Carney had by far the largest amount of support in caucus with the endorsement of 57 Liberal MPs — and more on the way. Freeland has the support of more than two dozen of her colleagues, while Gould has two MPs supporting her leadership bid.
Different campaigns did not unveil how many new members they attracted until now. But the six candidates will have to continue raising money — and fast.
All of them have either issued or committed to issue a first refundable payment of $50,000 before Jan. 23. Another payment of $50,000 is due by Jan. 30, and two other payments of $125,000 are due by Feb. 7 and 17, respectively, for a total entrance fee of $350,000.
The party is set to hold a minimum of two leadership debates — one in English, one in French — at dates still unknown, even though Freeland has called for four debates.
The next Liberal leader will be announced on March 9.
National Post
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