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Conservatives are often concerned about the unintended consequences arising from tight regulations. It seems the rigid rules governing their own leadership campaign may be having some unexpected results.

Pierre Poilievre is the third prospective candidate in three days to drop a bombshell announcement around supper-time, withdrawing from a race in which he was considered one of the front-runners.

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The party imposed strict financial and membership requirements on prospective candidates to ensure there is no repeat of the 2017 race, where there were 13 names on the first ballot.

But the need to garner 3,000 signatures from 30 ridings in seven provinces, not to mention an entry fee of $300,000, means candidates with a real prospect of winning are becoming rarer than Alberta Liberals.

Photo by Julie Oliver/Postmedia/File

In a statement, Poilievre said he did not realize how hard a leadership bid would be on his family and that his heart is not fully engaged in the leadership race.