Alan DeSousa barred from running for federal Liberals, no reason given

Alan DeSousa, Saint-Laurent's long-serving borough mayor, won't be allowed to seek the Liberal nomination in theupcoming federal byelection, and the party is refusing to tell him why.

DeSousa's campaign for the nomination, launched earlier this month, came to an abrupt halt with a letter from the Liberal Partywhich informed him he wasnot considereda "Qualified Nomination Contestant."

He was hoping to take over the seat left vacant by Stphane Dion, whose old riding of Saint-Laurent coversthe same districtDeSousa has represented in municipal politics for close to three decades.

• AlanDeSousaannounces bid forStphaneDion'sold seat

No reason is given in the letter, whichDeSousashared with reporters on Tuesday. The Liberal Party refused to explain its decision when contacted by CBC News, citing "confidentiality."

Let's be very clear, the whole process is kind of opaque.- Saint-Laurent borough mayor AlanDeSousa

Speaking outside the Saint-Laurent borough offices,DeSousavowed to challenge the decision.

He warned the party it was underestimating his standing in the community by attempting to sideline his candidacy.

"The party has to wake up and smell the coffee," he said. "Let's be very clear, the whole process is kind of opaque."

Yolande James becomes front-runner

The Saint-Laurent ridingis considered a Liberal stronghold. With DeSousa out of the nomination race, the clear front-runner is Yolande James, a former provincial Liberal cabinet ministerwho says she was courted to run by the Grits.

• Former Quebec cabinet ministerYolandeJames confirms jump to federal politics

James is 39 and was a regular contributor to Radio-Canada's popular political talk show Le Club Des Ex. (She was also a political columnist for CBC Montreal.)

Along with her ties to the provincial Liberals, James also has connectionsto their federal counterparts. One of her former chiefs of staff nowworks in the prime minister'soffice.

DeSousa, a chartered accountant by training,is in his late 50s and only joined the Liberal Party last month. He was a key member of former Montreal mayor Grald Tremblay'sadministration before it collapsed in scandal in 2013.

On Tuesday, DeSousastood by his lengthy record of public service, saying he was mystified by the Liberal Party's rejection of his candidacy.

"I have nothing to hide," he said."I have been in public office for 31 years.... At no point have I had an ethical lapse."

Without mentioning James by name, he acknowledged that his removal from the race favoured one of his opponents in particular.

"You can read between the lines," he said.

A spokesperson for the Jamescampaign would only say the developments would not change her strategy.

The Saint-Laurentbyelectionis one of five that will be heldaround the country on April 3. Members of the local Liberal riding associations get to vote on who will representthe party.

No date has yet been set for the Saint Laurent nomination meeting. Along with James,MarwahRizqy, a tax law professor, is also seeking the candidacy.

Appeal to Trudeau

The controversy over the Saint-Laurent nomination comes as another Liberal hopeful in Ontario is accusing the party of working against her nomination campaign.

Juanita Nathan, alocal school board trustee seeking the Liberal nomination inMarkham-Thornhill, said the party arbitrarily declared some2,000 new members that she signed up to be ineligibleto vote in the nomination contest.

The move, she said, was engineered to benefit one of her rivals for the nomination,Mary Ng, a senior staffer to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

• Liberals accused of playing favourites inMarkham-Thornhillnomination contest

Early in his leadership of the party, Trudeau pledged to have open nomination racesin all 338 ridings in the country, putting an end to the practice ofallowing star candidates to skirt local nomination battles.

DeSousa sought to remind Trudeau of that promise on Tuesday.

"I am appealing to the prime minister today to make sure that the promise he made is kept," DeSousa said. "I believe it is a question of local democracy and local people."