Bertschi appeals decision blocking his Liberal nomination bid in Orléans
Ottawa lawyer David Bertschi has filed an appeal of the federal Liberal party’s decision to block him from seeking the nomination in the riding of Ottawa- Orléans.
Bertschi had initially been given the “green light” — approval to seek the nomination — by a committee that screens potential candidates. But last month, the Liberals’ national campaign co-chairs, Katie Telford and Dan Gagnier, wrote to Bertschi to inform him the approval had been rescinded.
The riding association votes to choose a candidate in OttawaOrléans on Saturday, but that date could be postponed if an internal Liberal Party of Canada appeals committee decides it needs more time to consider Bertschi’s appeal.
The appeal will be heard by the party’s permanent appeals committee, which is made up of representatives from the provincial affiliates of the federal party and co-chaired by Toronto lawyer James Graham.
Telford and Gagnier said Bertschi hadn’t complied with a plan to pay down outstanding debts from his 2013 bid for the Liberal leadership.
There was also a question about whether he had properly informed the green-light committee about a defamation action he had launched against a U.S.-based gossip website.
Their decision to block Bertschi’s candidacy cleared the way for retired Lt.- Gen. Andrew Leslie, an adviser to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, to secure the nomination.
Bertschi called the decision “backroom, strong-arm politics” in an email to supporters and urged them to sign a petition protesting it. The petition had 751 online “signatures” by Monday.
Bertschi claimed he had paid down two-thirds of the $150,000 leadership debt in accordance with Elections Canada rules and the party’s requirements. He also said the libel lawsuit was not an issue because it had been discon- tinued.
Bertschi told the Citizen last month that he had sold more party memberships, the key to winning the nomination, than had Leslie. A party source, however, says Bertschi’s claim was based on out-ofdate figures.
It is unclear what legal basis Bertschi has to bring the appeal, as final decisions on candidate eligibility are at the discretion of the campaign co-chairs.
Bertschi did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.
Bertschi ran for the Liberals in the riding in 2011 and lost to Conservative Royal Galipeau.
Bertschi withdrew from the party’s leadership race amid mounting debts.
His persistent candidacy has been a headache for Liberal strategists, who believe Leslie has a much better chance than Bertschi of winning the suburban riding back from the Tories.
Trudeau has committed to open nominations, but his advisers have drawn fire when they were alleged to have meddled on behalf of a favoured candidate, most notably in a byelection in the Toronto riding of Trinity- Spadina.
Nomination candidate Christine Innes was blocked for seeking the nomination, allegedly because of unethical campaign tactics.
She launched a defamation lawsuit against the party.