Elections Canada has deregistered the Libertarian Party of Canada for failing to meet a technical filing requirement, prompting its leader to resign and step away from political life.Jacques Boudreau, an actuary from Petrolia, Ontario, said the experience was “very frustrating” and expressed dismay at what he described as Canadians’ willingness to “forego their freedoms.” Blacklock's Reporter said the move came after the party filed its audited 2025 financial statements late, breaching section 415 of the Canada Elections Act.Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault confirmed the deregistration in a Saturday notice, noting the decision applied regardless of party size or resources. “We have to follow the rules,” Boudreau said, recounting his discussion with Perrault.Boudreau said he will resign as party leader in May, leaving it to a successor to attempt re-registration with the minimum 250 signatures required under the Elections Act. “I am going to turn this over to someone else. I have decided not to run again,” he said.The party’s last Annual Return reported $13,522 in donations, and it ran 16 candidates nationwide in the last election. .Boudreau was the party’s top performer, winning 990 votes — 1.3% — in Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong, Ontario. The party had aimed to field at least 100 candidates but struggled to attract participation.Reflecting on the party’s struggles, Boudreau said voter indifference and limited resources hampered growth. “I thought the treatment imposed on Canadians during COVID would have made many of them discover their inner libertarianism,” he told members. “And yet, crickets. This is very disappointing.”The Libertarian Party, first registered in 2004, joins a field of 14 other parties still active under Elections Canada, including the Communists, Marxists, the Animal Protection Party, and the Christian Heritage Party.Boudreau emphasized the party’s focus on running candidates rather than acting as a think tank. “We need candidates. We are not a think tank,” he said, lamenting the missed opportunity to expand influence during a period he believed was ripe for libertarian ideas.
