Watch the full video directly below. (If using the National Post iPhone app, the video is at the top of the post.)
Last week, Canadians were informed that the new Liberal leader will be announced on March 9. Official dates were also announced for candidates throwing their hats into the ring and for party membership registration.
Immediately, the Liberal party member guidelines came under fire, previously having been referred to as the “gateway” to foreign interference by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, who led the inquiry into foreign interference in our last two federal elections.
Under the previous rules, anyone 14 years of age or older could become a party member and vote for the next leader. There was no fee. More importantly, there was no requirement to be a citizen or to have permanent resident status. This meant that international students and anyone else in Canada temporarily could potentially become a member of one of our two major political parties and vote for its leader.
At first, the Liberals refused to change the guidelines. But they have now reportedly updated the rules to add the requirement to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, although their official “Rules Governing Registration as Liberals” have not been updated yet.
The changes likely came in response to criticism from MPs and the media, as well as attempts by Canadians to test the integrity of the system by registering their pets. The Liberals also tacked on an unusually high $350,000 fee to run, severely limiting who might enter the contest.
There has been much buzz about who the contenders might be. Two relatively unknowns have already thrown in their hats. One hopeful, Christy Clark, seems to have already torpedoed her chances.
Watch National Post columnists Michael Higgins and Terry Newman discuss the Liberal leadership race and its likely contenders.