Nomination contenders accuse Conservatives of skipping nomination process in Brampton
Two Brampton men, Gurminder Gill and Babbu Sran, have come forward alleging that the Conservative Party bypassed the nomination process in Brampton in favor of appointing candidates to run in the city’s ridings. They claim that despite submitting their nomination applications months ago to become the Conservative candidates in Brampton North—Caledon and Brampton Centre, respectively, they never received a response from the party.
The men were shocked to find out that they were not selected as candidates when the federal election was called, and the Conservatives announced their slate of candidates. Feeling ignored and disregarded by the party they had supported for over a decade, Gill and Sran have made the decision to leave the Conservative Party behind and join the Liberal Party instead.
In a show of solidarity with their supporters, Gill and Sran hosted an event in Brampton where they thanked the people they had signed up as members of the Conservative Party and encouraged them to support the Liberals instead. Both men expressed their frustration with the lack of transparency and democracy within the Conservative Party, with Sran stating that “backroom politics” are not beneficial for anyone.
Despite their disappointment, Gill and Sran have no plans to seek candidacy for the Liberals in the upcoming federal election. A spokesperson for the Conservative campaign declined to comment on the reasons why Gill and Sran were not permitted to run, stating only that the selected candidates, Amandeep Judge and Taran Chahal, will make excellent representatives.
According to the Elections Canada website, Judge and Chahal are the only confirmed candidates running for the Conservatives in the Brampton North—Caledon and Brampton Centre ridings. However, the Liberal Party has announced Ruby Sahota and Amandeep Sodhi as their candidates for those ridings.
Political science professor Lori Turnbull from Dalhousie University explains that it is not uncommon for parties to handpick candidates despite the appearance of an open nomination process. Parties have the right to choose candidates who they believe represent their values and have the best chance of winning in an election.
Ultimately, the goal of any party is to win as many seats as possible in an election, and this often means selecting candidates who align with the party’s goals and values. While Gill and Sran may feel let down by the Conservative Party, their decision to join the Liberals reflects their commitment to finding a party that they believe will better represent them and their constituents.
