The candidate Patrick Brown, who wanted to replace Erin O’Toole as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, was thrown out of the running by the party’s election committee on Tuesday night on “serious allegations of misconduct”.
Updated yesterday at 11:52pm.
Lila Dussault The Press
“In recent weeks, serious allegations of misconduct by Patrick Brown’s campaign have come to our party’s attention, which appear to violate the rules governing the financial provisions of the Canadian Electoral Code,” Ian Brodie, president of the Conservative Party of Canada Electoral Committee, said Tuesday night .
The statement did not provide details on the allegations against Mr Brown, who is also the mayor of Brampton, Ontario. Members of Mr Brown’s campaign were not immediately available to comment on the situation.
According to Brodie, the organizing committee of the party’s leadership contest informed Patrick Brown’s campaign of its concerns and requested a written response, in which it decided to revoke Brown’s access to the party’s tentative membership list.
Information from Mr Brown’s campaign committee “did not address the concerns” of the organizing committee, which subsequently recommended disqualifying him from the lead race.
“The party will share the information gathered with Elections Canada, which is responsible for ensuring compliance and application of Canada’s electoral law,” added Mr. Brodie.
More than five candidates
In his statement, he also notes that he and the organizing committee did their best to be fair to Mr. Brown and give him time to refute the allegations.
On June 22, Patrick Brown’s campaign manager left him to support Michelle Rempel Garner, who was then planning to run for the United Conservative Party of Alberta, according to Global News.
The race for leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada has only five candidates left: Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis, Pierre Poilievre, Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison.
With the Canadian Press