Canadians are surprised that a Member of Parliament won’t be able to run in the Liberal leadership race in hopes of becoming the next prime minister.
Nepean MP Chandra Arya said on Sunday that he was informed by the Liberal Party of Canada that he will not be allowed to run in the race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“While I await their official communication, I am carefully considering my next steps. This decision raises significant questions about the legitimacy of the leadership race and, by extension, the legitimacy of the next Prime Minister of Canada,” he said on X.
“I remain steadfast in my commitment to working hard for the benefit of all Canadians. With a focused approach, I will continue striving to ensure a secure and prosperous future for the generations to come,” he added.
First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers across Canada who have worked tirelessly, day and night, over the past two weeks to mobilize support for my Liberal leadership campaign. Your unwavering dedication inspires me.
— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) January 26, 2025
I am deeply… https://t.co/EnR1u9ZFAt pic.twitter.com/F4Fk5sjDSl
Arya was one of the first to put his hat in the ring earlier this month, after Trudeau announced he’s stepping down. He said he wanted to run for prime minister as Canada faces structural challenges that require “tough solutions.”
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“We must make bold political decisions to secure prosperity for our children and grandchildren,” he said in a statement on X on Jan. 12.
The MP was one of seven hopefuls who said they submitted their nomination packages by the Liberal Party’s 5 p.m. deadline on Jan. 23.
The other candidates include former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, House leader Karina Gould, Nova Scotia Indigenous MP Jaime Battiste and former Liberal MPs Frank Baylis and Ruby Dhalla.
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Although the Liberal Party has approved the candidates, Elections Canada still needs to approve them, and that could take several days, according to CBC News.
Since Arya announced his rejection from the leadership bid, people have been reacting online and are shocked by the move.
“Please consider using your voice to further question and expose this corruption. I’m sorry this happened to you, I’m sorry this is happening to Canada,” one X user said.
“So if you can’t run for leadership why are you allowed to be a MP ?,” another asked.
“So they will rather let an unelected banker run for the liberal leadership than an elected MP from their own party. Yep, sounds about right for the liberal party,” one X user shared.
“Wow! That’s not democratic!,” another said.
Registered Liberals will vote for their next leader on Mar. 9.
