Patrick Brown appeals Conservative leadership disqualification despite party rules – National | Globalnews.ca

Patrick Brown is appealing his disqualification from the Conservative leadership race, despite the fact that the party’s election rules state that all decisions by the leadership election organizing committee (LEOC) are final.

Brown’s legal counsel sent two notices of appeal to LEOC president Ian Brodie and canvassing director Don Nightingale, respectively, which were obtained by Global News.

“It is deeply disturbing that Mr. Brown only learned of his recommendation through media reports last night after LEOC accepted his recommendation and sought to disqualify him,” the notice to Nightingale says.

The Conservative Party announced Tuesday night that Brown has been disqualified from the race after the CRO investigated allegations that Brown breached the financial provisions of the Canada Elections Act.

In accordance with section 3.1.110 of the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Election rules“all LEOC decisions are final and not subject to internal appeal or judicial review.”

This also means that the courts are unlikely to intervene in the affairs of the parties. Political parties as private organizations are free to set their own rules and handle disputes. (Campaign finance is the main exception to that.)

The rules state that the match dispute resolution appeals committee may intervene in all matters except disqualification, which are left to the sole discretion of the CRO and LEOC.

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Patrick Brown responds to his disqualification from the Conservative leadership race

Section 7.1.6 of the rules also states that if a candidate decides to take legal action against the party, the candidate’s compliance deposit may be affected and the candidate may forfeit any future directed contributions.

Brown told Global News on Wednesday that his disqualification was based on a “phantom allegation” to which he has been unable to respond, accusing the party of working to ensure the victory of rival candidate Pierre Poilievre.

Poilievre’s campaign has denied any involvement in the prosecution or the party’s decision to disqualify Brown, while the party says it has received multiple accusations of wrongdoing against the Brown campaign.

— Archived by David Akin of Global