Ruby Dhalla Disqualified from Liberal Leadership Race

OTTAWA — Ruby Dhalla, a former Member of Parliament, has been disqualified from the race to become the leader of the Liberal Party. Two Liberal leadership committees found that she breached ten violations of the race rules, including inaccurate financial reporting.

Extensive Review Process

Azam Ishmael, the national director of the Liberal Party, provided a statement affirming the decision came after a thorough review. The Leadership Vote Committee and the Leadership Expense Committee conducted interviews, asked Dhalla to complete questionnaires, and gave her the opportunity to personally address the concerns.

According to Ishmael, the committees identified issues such as alleged Canadian Elections Act violations, election finance irregularities, non-disclosure of facts, and inaccurate financial reporting. He emphasized the seriousness of these violations.

Dhalla’s Reactions

Responding to the allegations, Dhalla termed them “baseless” and insisted that they were an attack on her ethnic origin. She took to social media to criticize the party, saying, “I will not allow my campaign to be tarred with baseless allegations of foreign interference because of my Indian heritage and being the daughter of an immigrant.” Dhalla continued, “These types of comments are a direct attack on all immigrants, which I will not allow.”

Her Twitter tweet reflected her determination to continue her campaign, stating, “In my campaign, there have been thousands of volunteers from all over Canada who have wanted to be a part of history, of having the first woman of colour as Canada’s next Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party.”

Timing and Impact

Dhalla’s disqualification occurred shortly after she successfully met the deadline to make the required $350,000 in donations, ensuring her place in the leadership race. The timing is particularly significant as the Liberal Party prepares to hold debates in both official languages early next week.

However, Dhalla encountered setbacks when she requested translation services for the French debate, which was declined by the party. Despite a subsequent request for a personal translator, her team stated that they had not received a response.

Allegations and Polling

Dhalla’s campaign team issued a statement accusing the Liberal Party of attempting to secure a win for Mark Carney, citing him as the frontrunner in fundraising and polling. They suggest that Dhalla, polling closely with Carney, was excluded from the race.

Multiple polls indicate that Mark Carney is leading the race. Carney has secured significant financial backing, with over $1.9 million in donations as of February 9. Dhalla, on the other hand, raised just $144,880, placing her at the bottom among the candidates.

Previous Controversies

Dhalla’s campaign was marred by past controversies. In 2009, she resigned from her position as the Liberal Party’s multiculturalism critic due to allegations of mistreatment of caregivers looking after her mother. Although Dhalla maintains that the allegations were false, she settled with one caregiver for unpaid overtime.

Remaining Candidates

With Dhalla’s disqualification, the field for the Liberal leadership is now narrowed to four candidates: Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould, and Frank Baylis.

Conclusion

The disqualification of Ruby Dhalla has added a contentious chapter to the Liberal Party leadership race. The allegations and Dhalla’s responses highlight the complex and sometimes divisive nature of internal party politics. As the race continues, the decision to disqualify her may have significant implications for the Liberal Party and its potential next leader.

Stay updated as the Liberal Party leadership race progresses with upcoming debates and further developments.