March 20, 2025 – The Liberal Party of Canada revoked the nomination of Chandra Arya, the long-standing Member of Parliament for Nepean, Ontario, effectively barring him from running as their candidate in the upcoming federal election. Arya, who has represented the Ottawa-area riding since 2015, was informed of this decision by National Campaign Director Andrew Bevan in a letter, just days before an anticipated election call by [unelected] Prime Minister Mark Carney. The move follows Arya’s earlier exclusion from the Liberal leadership race in January, with the party citing undisclosed new information reviewed by its “green light committee” as the basis for revoking his candidacy status, though no specific details were provided. Some say he was dropped possibly due to his challenge of Carney’s appointment to the Liberal throne.
This decision opens up the Nepean riding as a potential seat for Carney, who has yet to announce where he will run in the election expected to be called on Sunday, March 23, for a vote on either April 28 or May 5. Various Liberal insiders have speculated that Carney might choose to contest a riding in Edmonton, Toronto, or Ottawa—where he currently resides—making Nepean a strategic option. Arya, sharing the revocation letter on his Facebook page, expressed deep disappointment but underscored the honor of serving his constituents, signaling the end of his decade-long tenure as a Liberal MP amid a shifting political landscape driven by the party’s preparations for a contentious election.
Keywords: Chandra Arya, Liberal Party, Nepean, nomination revoked, Mark Carney, federal election, Ottawa, leadership race, green light committee, April 28 vote
