Former Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla says the establishment was threatened by her candidacy and that’s why the Liberal Party of Canada abruptly disqualified her candidacy to become leader.
Dhalla addressed the disqualification, first reported by the CBC in a post on X.
“This decision is both shocking and deeply disappointing, especially since it was leaked to the media,” said Dhalla.
“The tactics used to remove me from this race only confirm what we already knew—our message was resonating, we were winning, and the establishment felt threatened.”
According to CBC, an unnamed source said that the Liberal Party of Canada has unanimously decided to disqualify Dhalla from its leadership race.
The source said Dhalla faces 12 allegations, including accepting corporate donations disguised as payments to campaign staff. She was also accused of failing to disclose a non-Canadian citizen’s involvement in her campaign, which the party argued could constitute foreign interference if it had taken place during an election period.
Dhalla swiftly rejected the allegations.
“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 defended the donations and said that no violation took place.
Dhalla also claimed that an attack on her was an attack against immigrants. She said that the baseless allegations against her were due to her Indian heritage and because she was the daughter of an immigrant.
She had released a video yesterday responding to the initial allegations of foreign interference in her campaign.
“I am of Indian ethnicity. It doesn’t make me any less Canadian than anyone else who may not have my skin colour,” said Dhalla. “These allegations are baseless, and I will never allow anyone to use my ethnicity, my heritage, my culture, and misconstrue that for foreign interference.”
She added that she aimed to make history as the first woman of colour to be the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the country’s prime minister.
Dhalla’s campaign has focused on bringing the party back to the centre of the political spectrum.
According to the party’s rules, Dhalla can appeal the decision.
She is the second leadership candidate to be barred from the race in recent weeks.
On Jan. 26, MP Chandra Arya announced his disqualification, arguing the decision cast doubt on the legitimacy of the leadership contest and Canada’s next prime minister.
The remaining candidates include former central banker Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, former government House leader Karina Gould, Sydney—Victoria MP Jamie Battiste, and former MP Frank Baylis.