Innes sues Trudeau for blocking candidacy

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau and his Ontario campaign co-chair are facing a $1.5-million libel suit from a would-be candidate who was barred from running for the Liberal party.

In a statement of claim filed in court Monday, lawyers for Christine Innes say the Liberal leader and David MacNaughton slandered her by falsely claiming she’d been blocked because of bullying and intimidation tactics used by her campaign.

They maintain the bullying alle gations were a “smokescreen” to hide the real reason Innes was barred: Her refusal to promise she wouldn’t run against a handpicked Trudeau star recruit, Toronto Centre MP Chrystia Freeland. The statement of claim contains allegations not proven in court.

Liberal party national director Jeremy Broadhurst said Innes’ claim “is without merit and it will be defended vigorously.” Innes’ lawyers say MacNaughton was prepared to green light her nomination bid for the byelection but only on condition that Innes promise to seek the nomination in Spadina-Fort York, rather than University-Rosedale, where Freeland wants to run.

The deal was meant to disguise the fact that Trudeau was reneging on his promise to allow open nominations in all ridings, the suit alleges.

Innes refused to make the promise and MacNaughton subsequently informed her that she would not be allowed to seek the byelection nomination.