Liberal leadership candidate Ruby Dhalla has officially filed an appeal against her disqualification from the leadership race, claiming the party’s decision was a calculated move to clear the path for establishment favourite Mark Carney.
“They only want to talk about diversity. They only want to talk about representation of women,” said Dhalla in a video she posted to X. “But when it comes down to it, they want to silence you and they want to disqualify you.”
The video featured Dhalla, a former Liberal member of Parliament, in various meetings, phone calls, and interviews on the day that she was disqualified.
In one part of the video, Dhalla cries during her meeting with the committee, pleading with them to let her stay in the race.
“Please do not disqualify me. It will not send the right message for our party to immigrants and for young people and women in our country.”
Dhalla previously said that the Liberals disqualified her for being Mark Carney’s “only obstacle.”
She faced 12 allegations of wrongdoing, including that she accepted corporate donations disguised as payments to campaign staff.
“These allegations are fabricated, fictitious, and fake, and yet another attempt by unknown sources to have me removed from the debate and the ballot,” she said.
She is the second contender to be disqualified; Liberal MP Chanda Arya was kicked out of the race on Jan. 26.
“This decision raises significant questions about the legitimacy of the leadership race and, by extension, the legitimacy of the next Prime Minister of Canada,” said Arya of his own disqualification.
Dhalla claimed the Liberals did not want her on the debate stage facing off against Carney. The leadership race’s first debate in French is in Montreal Monday evening, with the English one slated for Tuesday.
“They certainly did not want me on that ballot, and the Liberal Party of Canada wanted to complete the coronation of Mark Carney.
Carney previously came under fire for seemingly acting as prime minister before the leadership race concluded.
During an interview with YouTuber Viva Frei, Dhalla revealed that she was instructed to meet with Liberal party officials only a few hours after her $350,000 deposit was collected.
“So I don’t know if this was all pre-planned and strategic, but I can tell you, those hundreds of volunteers that contributed to my campaign, it was because they believed in the vision that Ruby Dhalla had for the Liberal Party,” said Dhalla. “That $350,000 was not being given to fill up the piggy banks or the pockets or the coffers of the Liberal Party of Canada.”
She said the party should do the right thing and refund the money to Canadians but claimed the Liberals are trying to keep it.
One part of Dhalla’s vision for the future of the Liberal Party of Canada was to “return it to the sensible centre.”
The Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership election is set to conclude on Mar. 9. The winner of the race will become Canada’s next prime minister without a federal election.