Commentary
Well, the inevitable has happened. After months of speculation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emulated his father, took a walk in the snow (it may not have been actually snowing in Ottawa on Jan. 6 but it was extremely cold!), and announced his intention to resign once a replacement is selected. The worst-kept secret in the nation’s capital came to pass.
The prime minister’s departure leads naturally to a selection process for a new head of the party. And while the media is rife with speculation over the top candidates (Mark Carney? Chrystia Freeland? Anita Anand?), a much more important angle has been all but ignored. The Liberal Party has said that it has no plans to change its membership rules to shield its upcoming leadership race from meddling. What meddling, you may ask? Have a seat, the list is a long one….