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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged himself to be a champion of democracy during the last election, promising vigorous and fair nomination battles for all Liberal candidates.

If he was accused of putting his finger on the scale in favour of star candidates he’d recruited then, he’s taken his manipulations of the process to new heights with the by-elections taking place in April.

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Nowhere is this more apparent than in Montreal’s St-Laurent riding, where borough mayor Alan DeSousa has been excluded as a candidate for the Liberal nomination to replace longtime MP and cabinet minister Stéphane Dion.

DeSousa, who has served the riding in municipal politics for three decades, says the fix is in for former provincial Liberal cabinet minister Yolande James. Despite discussing his candidacy with Dion himself, the Prime Minister’s Office and the local riding association, DeSousa was shocked when a party committee set up to green-light potential nominees turned him down.