Jim Karahalios axed again from the CPC race

Written By Wyatt Claypool, Posted on May 21, 2020

Yesterday, Justice Perell ruled against the Conservative Party of Canada on Jim Karahalios’ wrongful disqualification by the CPC Appeals Committee.

The judge ruled that only the Leadership Election Organization Committee (LEOC) had the legitimate authority to eject Karahalios and other candidates from the Conservative leadership race. Today the CPC used their court recognized authority to re-eject Karahalios from the race.

In a statement released by the CPC, the LEOC committee met to discuss the judge’s ruling and decided to remove Karahalios due to his “conduct” without stating any particular rules he violated.

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In the court case, Justice Perell said that if the party determined that Karahalios had broken the broad principles of the CPC, then that could be grounds for disqualification. However, the LEOC still has yet to name any specific principles Karahalios violated.

From when Karahalios was first removed, it was not a clear cut issue among CPC members or even other leadership election candidates.

Erin O’Toole’s leadership campaign had made the original complaint to the LEOC and the Appeals Committee, allegedly for criticizing O’Toole campaign chair Walied Soliman. On the other side of the issue, leadership candidates Derek Sloan and Leslyn Lewis had supported Karahalios’ reinstatement as a candidate.

The CPC has ignored the calls of many members, conservative politicians, and conservative media outlets’ requests for Karahalios to be added to the ballot and let members decide whether they want him as a leader or not. 

It seemed unthinkable to many that Karahalios would be re-ejected. Today the Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) expecting Karahalios to be on the ballot for August had even endorsed him alongside the other strongly pro-life candidates in an email to CLC supports.

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This decision by the CPC will no doubt upset the grassroots, many who supported Karahalios or who otherwise opposed his to removal Karahalios from the ballot.

It is not known yet what the Karahalios’ campaign will do in response to this or whether Jim himself plans on taking any further legal recourse. At the very least, there is no doubt that his second ejection in as many months will shake up the leadership race here on.

Wyatt Claypool

Wyatt is a student at Mount Royal University, where he is the president of its Campus Conservative club. In his writing, he focuses on covering provincial and federal politics, firearms regulation, and the energy sector. Wyatt has also previously written for The Post Millennial.

12 responses to “Jim Karahalios axed again from the CPC race”

  1. Carol Harris says:

    Well this lifelong Conservative is no longer going to be a Conservative. They have become just as corrupt and underhanded as their counterparts, the Liberals. Bye Bye Felicia!!

  2. Nicola says:

    So fed up with these Patrick Brown like thwarting of grassroots members. Life long Conservative, volunteer and member of Executive of an EDA.

  3. Dean Scown says:

    What is the CPC afraid of?

  4. Raleigh Epp says:

    I will never vote in Canada ever again!!! Monday I will demanding All of my money back!!! I really hope that Jim Karahalios will sue each member of the LEOC personally! The CPC will Never win another election in Canada!

  5. Jim Taylor says:

    I took out a membership for 3 years so I could vote in the upcoming leadership election. I will now be cancelling my membership and requesting a refund. Clearly, this party is just as corrupt as the Libs who don’t even try to hide it. A vote for McKay or Trudeau are the same thing.

  6. Louisa Turmel says:

    I am very disillusioned with this recent turn of events by the unelected LEOC members to again disqualify Jim Karahalios from running in the upcoming Leadership race without presenting valid reasons to Jim or the membership as to what campaign rules were broken. The results of the court case presented them with an opportunity to do the right thing and reinstate Jim Karahalios, but they instead chose to embrace the cancel culture and virtue signalling of the left.

  7. Ellie says:

    As a member of the CPC this is very disappointing that the LEOC has once again took the voting rights away from the membership. Two men have been disqualified for no reason and you (LEOC) are no better then the Liberal party. You are not listening to your membership. And Mr. O’Toole you are no different then Trudeau. Now I wonder, because of my comment, are you going to take away my membership????

  8. Randy Hrechka says:

    Its a sad state of affairs in the CPC these days. Mckay and O’toole will never get my vote period! Keep it up CPC and you will destroy your base!

  9. Robert Burns says:

    Used to be a member but gave up on them…one deception and lie to another Unless you change this voting system from FPTP the most corrupt to PR the least corrupt nothing will change The best-run countries are PR, Sweden builds its own jets and submarines, Canada buys used junk subs and used fighter jets, Norway has 2 trillion in its rainy day fund from oil revenue Alberta 18 billion and the list goes on…Australia is creating about 1000 jobs a day and has GDP over 3% Canada just over 1% and they have had dental and pharma care for years …remember Trudeau got elected PM with far less than 50% of the vote, in some ridings 40% are not voting…CON/LIBS same party… check these vids…https://youtu.be/s7tWHJfhiyo https://youtu.be/uif249ZoaEg https://youtu.be/o5PtXrjdYTQ https://youtu.be/3L8vJVe_MLI https://youtu.be/xPpTnHaemDY Support Fair Vote Canada https://www.fairvote.ca/

  10. Dane Peterson says:

    I will be contacting the Conservative Party on Monday to cancel my membership. Between this and the taking of taxpayer money to prop up their payroll, I’ve had enough. The Cons have become Liberal Lite and I for one will not even vote Conservative if either McKay or O’Toole gets the nomination.

  11. Angel Brown says:

    Don’t cancel your conservative membership, vote Lewis or Sloan…this is how we change things, not by quitting. The alternative parties are worse.

  12. RDP says:

    Either you support the new Conservative leader no matter what or Trudeau is getting back in, possibly with a majority. Hate it all you want, but that’s how it is.