Ruby Dhalla Disqualified from Canadian Liberal Party Leadership Race

Ottawa: Indian-origin Canadian politician Ruby Dhalla has been disqualified from the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race, preventing her from contesting for the position of Prime Minister. She described the decision as “shocking and deeply disappointing” and criticized how the news was leaked to the media before she was officially informed.

Liberal Party Cites Rule Violations

The Liberal Party’s national director, Azam Ishmael, stated that the party’s leadership vote committee found Dhalla guilty of 10 violations, some of which were related to the party’s leadership rules and expense regulations.

“The decision followed a thorough review process, including interviews, questionnaires, and an opportunity for Dr. Dhalla to address the committee directly,” Ishmael told CBC News, emphasizing that the violations were deemed “extremely serious.”

However, Dhalla rejected the allegations, calling them “false and fabricated.” She claimed that the decision was a strategic move by the party establishment to remove her from the race because her campaign was gaining momentum.

“The tactics used to disqualify me only prove what we already knew—our message was resonating, we were winning, and the establishment felt threatened,” she asserted.

Accusations Against Dhalla

According to Ishmael, the party was concerned that Dhalla may have breached the Canada Elections Act and was involved in other financial irregularities, such as non-disclosure of key information and inaccurate financial reporting.

A CBC News source reported that Dhalla was also accused of failing to disclose the involvement of a non-Canadian citizen in her campaign—an issue that the party believes could be classified as foreign interference during an election period.

Additionally, the Liberal Party withheld $21,000 in campaign contributions while investigating whether 12 donors exceeded the legal maximum donation limit. Three pairs of donors shared the same last name and postal code, with each donating $1,750, the maximum allowable amount under Canadian election laws.

Dhalla Learns of Disqualification on Live TV

Dhalla revealed that she first learned about her disqualification while appearing on a live TV interview, after the media received an email from the party before she did.

“It speaks volumes about the state of the Liberal Party when a candidate running for the leadership and the position of Prime Minister finds out she has been disqualified on-air, through an email received by a media outlet,” she said during an interview on CBC’s Power & Politics.

She accused the party of trying to shield front-runner Mark Carney from competition, referring to him as the “blue-eyed boy” of the establishment.

Despite her disqualification, Dhalla stated that she plans to appeal the decision and continue her fight for Canada.

“I will not allow the Liberal Party or anyone else to tarnish my name or the integrity of the thousands of volunteers who supported my campaign,” she asserted.

Who Is Ruby Dhalla?

Ruby Dhalla is a former Liberal MP and entrepreneur, who represented Brampton-Springdale in Parliament from 2004 to 2011. Born and raised in Winnipeg, she initially pursued a career as a chiropractor before entering politics under former Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Positioning herself as a “true outsider” in the leadership race, Dhalla advocated for policies that deviated from mainstream Liberal views. She supported deporting illegal immigrants and proposed life sentences for the possession of hard drugs.

Her disqualification follows a similar case involving Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya, who claimed last month that he was also barred from running in the leadership contest. He questioned the fairness of the leadership race and its impact on the legitimacy of Canada’s next Prime Minister.

The remaining candidates in the race include former MP Frank Baylis, ex-central banker Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, and former House leader Karina Gould. The new Liberal Party leader and Prime Ministerial candidate will be announced on March 9.