With contenders poised to enter the race to replace outgoing Prime Minister and Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau, concerns are being raised about the party’s criteria for voting eligibility.
According to LPC bylaws, those wishing to register with the party must be at least 14 years old, must not be a member of another federal party, and must “ordinarily live in Canada” – but they do not need to be Canadian citizens or even permanent residents.
“It does open up the party to the potential of interference from outside nefarious actors,” said University of the Fraser Valley political scientist Hamish Telford.
“So, if they are going to allow the same membership rules, then they have to tighten up other procedures.”
Those concerns were echoed by a number of Liberal members of Parliament as they made their way into an Ottawa caucus meeting on Wednesday.
Some members of the party executive, who …