Liberal campaign set up volunteers in office rented from Canada 2020
OTTAWA — The Liberal Party of Canada temporarily expanded its campaign headquarters during the federal election last year by renting office space from Canada 2020, a not-for-profit organization founded by long-time partisans with close personal ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
According to documents filed with Elections Canada, the Liberals subleased office space from Canada 2020 at 35 O’Connor St., in downtown Ottawa — now occupied by the think-tank — from Aug. 13 to Oct. 19, 2015, so that the party could set up a “volunteer hub” that was up and running 12 hours a day.
The documents show the Liberals paid a total of $13,833 to Canada 2020 over that period.
There is nothing in the rules that would prohibit the arrangement, as both the Liberal party and Canada 2020 say the agreement involved paying full market rent.