Pablo Rodriguez arrives with supporters for the party leadership conference in June. The Quebec Liberal Party leader denies accusations that some members were paid to vote for him, and says his party will conduct a full investigation.Joel Ryan/The Canadian Press

Paying someone to vote for a candidate in a political party leadership race is clearly unethical. But last week, many Canadians were surprised to learn that it’s completely legal.

There is no ban from Elections Canada or its provincial counterparts on cash-for-votes in leadership or nomination races; the practice generally isn’t covered by parties’ own regulations.

The issue emerged after accusations that some Quebec Liberal Party members were paid to vote for Pablo Rodriguez when he successfully ran as leader this spring. The former federal cabinet minister denies knowledge of any wrongdoing, and says his party will conduct a full investigation.

Federal and provincial party leadership and nomination races are almost completely unregulated. It’s a massive weak spot in Canadian democracy, and despite alarm about foreign interference in these contests in the recent years, little has been done to fix the problem.

Elections Canada and its provincial counterparts are........

© The Globe and Mail