Article content

By Linda Nguyen

TORONTO — Voter suppression tactics, including a pattern of harassing phone calls, were a factor in the Liberal party’s defeat in 27 or more ridings in the last election, says interim leader Bob Rae.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Robocalls contributed to Liberals’ defeat in at least 27 ridings: Bob Rae Back to video

“I have no doubt at all that it contributed to the defeat of a number of candidates,” he said Saturday at a news conference in Toronto.

Rae believes the automated and non-automated calls were not the actions of one person, but a concerted effort by a group of individuals targeting Liberal candidates.

[np-related]

“I think when you get as many ridings coming forward as we’ve seen now, you can’t just say it’s an isolated incident or an isolated case,” he said, flanked by supporters, including party president Mike Crawley and Markham-Unionville, Ont., MP John McCallum.

“This is not an isolated problem. It’s becoming a very disturbing pattern, which we can see right across the country, not just in a few ridings.”