Liberal leadership candidates will have to clear $125,000 hurdle today

OTTAWA — Federal Liberal leadership candidates will have to cross another hurdle today to remain in the race — a payment of $125,000 to the party.

The party requires candidates to pay a total entrance fee of $350,000 in instalments.

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The candidates still in the race have made two initial payments of $50,000 each — one payment to launch their campaigns and the second to obtain access to the party’s membership list.

Those candidates who meet today’s deadline will still have to make a final payment of $125,000 by Feb. 17 at the latest.

On Thursday, former Liberal House leader and leadership candidate Karina Gould said her campaign is doing everything it can to remain in the race, despite not having the resources of her main rivals.

She said the party establishment tried “as hard as possible” to keep the number of candidates low, and now she’s working to meet an “extremely aggressive” fundraising deadline.

In a fundraising email sent Tuesday night, Gould’s campaign told supporters that their candidate needs to raise $100,000 by 5 p.m. today to stay in the race.

Another candidate, former MP Frank Baylis, said Thursday he will meet all the deadlines.

“I understand the party. It’s in a very difficult position. This is a very condensed race. We have a very short time period … But I respect what the party is doing, and we’re going to work within the confines of the rules that the parties laid out,” he said.

Three other candidates remain in the race: former central bank governor Mark Carney and former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland — widely seen as the front-runners — and former MP Ruby Dhalla.

The Liberal party is trying to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in record time. It will elect its next leader on March 9, after the candidates face off in two debates.

The party reported a week ago that nearly 400,000 supporters registered as members to vote in the leadership race before the deadline.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2025.

Michel Saba, The Canadian Press