Conservative leadership candidate Brad Trost wants the Conservative party to offer refunds to candidates who are considering dropping out of the leadership race.

Trost’s campaign manager Mike Patton posted a video to Twitter Tuesday morning in which he said Trost is very concerned that the Conservative party has not made allowances for all 14 candidates to have a slot on the preferential ballot.

@BradTrostCPC Campaign Update for Tuesday March 7th – gently move candidates off the ballot #cpcldr #canpoli pic.twitter.com/HC3LOm4jVs — Mike Patton (@Mike__Patton) March 7, 2017

The Conservative Party of Canada is allowing only ten spots on the preferential ballot.

“Most of the candidates who just wanted to have their say have had their say. Brad is suggesting that we are offer to reimburse … the party, that is … offer to reimburse any candidates who wish to withdraw at this point, not only their $50,000 security deposit but some or all of the $50,000 registration fee.”

The idea, said Patton, is to make it simpler for voters and to ensure that nobody is stuck with a long-term debt.

“Every leadership ends with a number of candidates stuck with quite a substantial debt and we don’t want to see that.”

Patton said Trost sent a note to the party asking if it would consider reimbursements. Patton encourages viewers to let the party know “this is a good idea.”

According to Elections Canada, “leadership contestants might be required to pay a contest entry fee or other service fees to the registered party. These fees may be refunded to the contestant at the discretion of the party.”

Conservative party spokesman Cory Hann said that candidates who inform the party before the March 31 deadline, which is the deadline candidates have to remove themselves from the race and not appear on the ballot, will be refunded the compliance deposit of $50,000. He said the party would expedite this refund to show good faith.

Anyone who stays in the race after that deadline would have to wait until the full leadership race has concluded and all appropriate filings are finished before receiving their refund for the compliance fee.

Conservative strategist and vice-chair of Summa Strategies Tim Powers, meanwhile, said that offering buy-outs for candidates is a bad idea.

Candidates know the rules upon entering, he said.

“It’s a bit of sour grapes after the fact. It’s like saying, ‘If you buy me off, I’ll step out.’ I don’t think that’s the message the Conservatives want … It’s a bad message.”