Former Brampton MP Ruby Dhalla is fighting to be reinstated in the Liberal Party leadership race after being disqualified by the party’s leadership committee last Friday.
“Appeal filed,” Dhalla announced on social media Sunday, stating she is determined to continue her campaign for “the millions of Canadians who believe in democracy, free speech, and fair elections.”
The Liberal Leadership Vote Committee ruled unanimously to remove Dhalla from the race, citing 12 allegations, including accusations that her campaign accepted corporate donations in the form of payments to campaign staff—a violation of election financing rules.
In a statement Friday, Liberal Party national director Azam Ishmael confirmed the unanimous decision to remove Dhalla but did not elaborate on the specific allegations.
Dhalla, however, has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the claims against her are “fabricated.”
She says her campaign “bears no responsibility for the donations of hard-working Canadians” who support her vision for Canada.
Dhalla also alleged that party insiders were working to sideline her candidacy, accusing the Liberal establishment of attempting to clear the way for leadership front-runner Mark Carney.
“I fought for change, progressive policies, and for members who want to return the (Liberal Party) to the center—putting the power back in the hands of the membership and not the establishment,” Dhalla posted online. “I’m not giving up.”
With her appeal still pending, Dhalla is not expected to participate in the first Liberal leadership debate in Montreal on Monday.
She had requested a translator for the French-language debate, but the party denied the request.
Dhalla has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that her campaign was an obstacle to Carney’s “coronation” as Liberal leader, citing internal polling that she says showed her as a strong contender.
A former Brampton-Springdale MP, Dhalla’s political career has not been without controversy.
During her time in Parliament, she faced allegations that she mistreated two caregivers hired to care for her mother in the family’s Mississauga home. The scandal led her to step down as the Liberal Youth and Multiculturalism Critic in 2009. She has since claimed the allegations were part of a smear campaign.
In a recent statement, Dhalla vowed to deport every illegal immigrant in Canada if elected prime minister.
While Dhalla has attempted to rally support through informal social media polls, mainstream surveys suggest she is not a top contender.
A Leger poll for The Canadian Press found that if Carney were leading the Liberals, the party would be tied with the Conservatives in national polling—a dramatic improvement after trailing by more than 20 points for over a year.
Despite her appeal, Dhalla’s path back into the Liberal leadership race remains uncertain.