Conservative party disputes Brown’s allegation political corruption behind his disqualification
Patrick Brown is alleging political corruption played a role in his disqualification from the Conservative Party of Canada's leadership race, a move that came following allegations that his campaign violated election financing rules.
In his first sit-down television interview since being ejected by the Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC), Brown denied wrongdoing, decried what he called "anonymous allegations" and told CTV News Channel's Power Play host Evan Solomon he believes Pierre Poilievre supporters on the committee are behind the move.
"When I say this is politically corrupt, 150,000 Canadians, many for the first time, joined the Conservative Party, and their vote has been taken away," said Brown, referencing the new party members, his campaign says they had signed up since entering the race this spring.
"I’m shocked that they would take lengths this extraordinary to rob members of the party of a democratic election based on an anonymous complaint," he said, adding that he didn't feel as if he had enough time or information about the accusations made to properly respond, and indicating his team is assessing their options to challenge the move.
However, Conservative party president Rob Batherson later confirmed that allegations "did not come from anybody affiliated with any other campaign," seeming to suggest the concerns raised came from those previously helping try to make the current mayor of Brampton, the next federal Conservative leader.
Pressed for details, Batherson declined to elaborate, saying the ball is now in Elections Canada's court to evaluate and "interview the sources of the allegations."
Chair of the committee Ian Brodie announced Brown's disqualification late Tuesday evening, referencing "serious allegations of wrongdoing" by Brown's campaign.
"The information provided to date by the Patrick Brown campaign did not satisfy concerns about their compliance with our Rules and Procedures and/or the Canada Elections Act," reads the statement. The decision to disqualify him was made following a split vote 11 to six taken by LEOC members.
"We regret having to take these steps but we have an obligation to ensure that both our Party's Rules and federal law are respected by all candidates and campaign teams. None of these problems has any impact on the integrity of the vote itself," the statement said.
Despite growing calls for transparency, the party has declined to get into any specific details of the allegations, citing the potential impact on investigations. Brown told Solomon his campaign was told it has to do with allowing a corporation to pay for work being done by a campaign member.
"But [there was] no information about who that was or who that corporation was so it's impossible to respond to a phantom," he said.
Yaroslav Baran, who handles media communications for the current leadership contest, told CTV National News on Wednesday that there had been "numerous" accusations brought forward.
"Some of them pertain to the rules of the race, the rules set out by the leadership election organizing committee that the party established, but more recently, there have been some material brought forward that went above that and spoke to potential violations of electoral law," he said.
Baran also directly refuted Brown's assertion his team wasn't made aware of the accusations.
"The party has been very transparent and forthright with the campaign in question… The party reached out to the campaign on numerous occasions, gave them numerous and generous opportunities to explain what this was all about," he said.
"They, unfortunately for them, chose not to avail themselves of those opportunities. They knew exactly what this was all about, exactly what the material was, and they chose not to take advantage of the opportunities to give any kind of a plausible and satisfactory explanation."
The party also confirmed Wednesday that because ballot packages have already started to be sent to the approximately 675,000 members ahead of the Sept. 10 announcement of a winner, Brown's name will still appear on what will be a preferential ballot.
Pierre Poilievre declined CTV News' request for an interview about Brown's removal and the claims he has made. His campaign did send a statement Wednesday morning stating that Brown's disqualification was the "latest chapter in a career defined by numerous scandals."
"This is not the first time Patrick has been disqualified from running for public office for reasons of ethical impropriety. In fact, the Ontario PC Party disqualified him from running as a local candidate. For years, Patrick's conduct has demonstrated that he is the kind of person that will say and do anything to win," a statement from campaign spokesperson Anthony Koch said.
The two campaigns have had fierce back-and-forth exchanges during the race thus far, with both sides alleging different types of wrongdoing.
Poilievre's camp had previously accused Brown's team of reimbursing membership fees for those who signed up using his online portal.
Jean Charest — now one of five contenders in the race, alongside Poilievre, Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, and Leslyn Lewis — sent a message to supporters Wednesday morning calling for answers.
In the email, director of communications Michelle Coates Mather said revelations from "both sides of the issue are deeply troubling," and that members deserve more clarification.
"LEOC must ensure integrity of the process. Party members deserve the truth. We need to understand what the allegations are, how Patrick Brown's campaign responded and why LEOC took such drastic action. Transparency is paramount," she said.
On Wednesday night, legal counsel for Brown sent a notice to the Conservative Party to say he intends to appeal the decision.
"To be clear, Mr. Brown has engaged in absolutely no misconduct," the notice reads.
However, on Wednesday evening Batherson said that the party's rules "do not provide for appealing a disqualification decision."
With files from CTV News' Evan Solomon and Rachel Aiello
IN DEPTH
Why the outcome of one Toronto byelection could be consequential for Trudeau, Poilievre
The stakes are high in a looming June 24 federal byelection in a long-held Liberal riding in Toronto, and if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's party shows signs of slipping, it could spark a bigger conversation, CTV News' pollster Nik Nanos says.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It's a death sentence': Local Toronto grocery store told it can no longer serve coffee
A cup of coffee is keeping a small business in Toronto alive – but it could also be a death sentence.
BREAKING Calgary water main repairs could take 3-5 more weeks, after scans reveal deficiencies in the pipe
Water restrictions could be in place for three to five more weeks in Calgary, after a scan of a broken water main revealed five more locations inside the pipe that are in need of repair.
Canadian soldiers ordered to trim beards and tie back hair in dress code update
Canadian soldiers are being ordered to trim their beards and tie back long hair after restrictions were previously lifted in 2022.
New details about sexual assault case against billionaire Frank Stronach
Sexual assault charges laid against Canadian businessman Frank Stronach involve three women who police allege were victimized in 1980, 1986, and 2023, according to documents recently filed in a Brampton court.
Abducted child found dead and sister injured in suspected human trafficking case, authorities say
36-year-old Daniel Callahan was arrested Thursday after a 35-year-old mother was found dead and her two abducted daughters were later discovered in Mississippi – one dead and the other alive – in what investigators say may be a human trafficking case.
Her dying husband worried she'd have money troubles. Then she won the lottery
In the weeks before his death, Karen Coffman's husband worried she might have money troubles after he was gone. But two weeks before he died in April of complications from a brain tumor, the Pennsylvania woman bought a scratch-off state lottery ticket that netted her $1 million.
U.S. regulators investigating unusual 'Dutch roll' of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max
Federal officials are investigating an unusual rolling motion during the flight of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max.
Several major weather advisories issued across Canada
CTVNews.ca followed several weather advisories across Canada.
'He killed her': Sask. judge finds Greg Fertuck guilty
Greg Fertuck has been found guilty of First Degree Murder and indignity to human remains in the death of his estranged wife.
Local Spotlight
Moncton bakery owner celebrates 35 years with 220-foot flatbread
Fancy Pokket owner Mike Timani has decided to create a 220-foot long flat bread to celebrate its 35th anniversary.
'Too much warming': Polar bears in Hudson Bay could go extinct by 2030s if global temperatures continue to increase
If certain goals that are in the Paris Climate Accord aren't met, the existence of polar bears in the Hudson Bay may come to an end.
Swift Current offers to temporarily rename itself if Taylor Swift returns to Sask.
In an attempt to invite one of the most popular recording artists in the world to the land of living skies – the City of Swift Current has offered to rename itself in honour of Taylor Swift.
Adult dogs, puppies arrive in Moncton from Manitoba in search of forever homes
More than a dozen dogs arrived by Cargojet early Thursday morning to the People for Animal Wellbeing Shelter to find a permanent place to call home in New Brunswick.
Video captures whale breaching off Peggy's Cove, N.S.
Peggy's Cove, N.S., is one of the most famous locations in the Maritimes. Recent visitors were treated to more than just the iconic landmark.
Hundreds of fans line up to meet the Trailer Park Boys at promotional event
Hundreds of fans lined up to meet the Trailer Park Boys in Dartmouth, N.S., Tuesday, as Ricky, Bubbles and Julian promoted their new brand of potato chips.
'Nothing a little duct tape won't fix': Bear breaks into northern Ont. woman's car, destroys interior before taking nap
Car break-ins plague Canadians across the country, but instead of worrying about theft, a northern Ontario woman is cleaning up a big mess that she says will not be covered by insurance after a black bear broke into her Honda Civic and took a nap.
Albertans attempt to build the world’s tallest Popsicle stick structure
Members of a Hutterite colony in southern Alberta have potentially built the world's tallest structure made of Popsicle sticks.
After 300 days in a B.C. shelter, this dog finally found his forever home
A dog who spent the first three-and-a-half years of his life suffering and almost a year at a shelter has found his forever home, according to the BC SPCA.