2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

The 2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election, held on January 26, 2013, at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, elected Kathleen Wynne as the new leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, replacing Dalton McGuinty, who announced his resignation on October 15, 2012. With the Liberals forming the Ontario government, Wynne consequently became Premier of Ontario. After leading a minority government for 18 months, she called an election after the defeat of her government's budget and she led her party to a renewed majority government in June 2014.

Background

Premier Dalton McGuinty announced his pending resignation as leader of the Liberal Party on October 15, 2012, citing a desire to bring new blood to the party leadership. McGuinty also, citing the political "logjam" in Ontario, prorogued the Legislative Assembly.

Rules and procedures

Under the procedure outlined by the party's constitution, the leader was to be chosen in a traditional delegated leadership convention in which up to 2,283 delegates were eligible to vote, made up of 1,712 elected delegates (16 elected by proportional representation in each of the 107 provincial riding associations), 419 ex officio delegates (current and former Liberal MPPs, defeated candidates from the last election, riding association presidents, party executive officers and other party officials, and federal Liberal MPs for Ontario) 144 youth delegates from 18 campus clubs and eight delegates representing the Women's Commission. Riding delegates ran on the slate of a leadership candidate or as independents, in the case of the former they were required to vote for that candidate on the first ballot but were free to change their support subsequently. Balloting at convention continued until one candidate received a majority of ballots cast.

There was a $50,000 entry fee and $500,000 spending limit not including the 25% of all money raised by candidates which had to be turned over to the party in order to pay for the convention. Candidates were not permitted to accumulate more than $100,000 in debt. Nomination papers had to be signed by at least 250 party members. The registration fee for delegates was between $249 and $599.

44,421 party members were eligible to vote in the selection of delegates. Of these, less than 15,000 had been members when McGuinty announced his departure; 27,206 were recruited by the leadership campaigns before November 24.

Timeline

December 1, 1996 – Dalton McGuinty wins the leadership election to succeed Lyn McLeod.
October 6, 2011 – The general election returns the Liberals to power but reduces them to 53 seats in the legislature, one short of a majority.
September 6, 2012 – By-elections are held in the ridings of Kitchener—Waterloo and Vaughan. The Liberals had hoped to win both seats in order to secure a majority; they retain Vaughan but place third in Kitchener-Waterloo which is won by the NDP.
September 29, 2012 – The Ontario Liberal Party's Annual General Meeting endorses Dalton McGuinty's leadership of the party with the support of 86% of delegates.
October 2, 2012 – The opposition parties combine, in committee, to pass a rare contempt motion against Energy Minister Chris Bentley over the government's decision to cancel two gas plants prior to the 2011 election at a cost of $230 million. The opposition contends that the sale occurred in order to help the Liberals retain several seats and that Bentley has not complied with a directive by the Speaker to release all documents related to the decision.
October 15, 2012 – Dalton McGuinty announces that he will resign as Liberal Party leader and Premier of Ontario as soon as the party holds a leadership convention. McGuinty also prorogues the legislature.
October 21, 2012 – Liberal Party executive meets to decide on a date for the leadership election and rules government the process.
October 28, 2012 – Liberal Party executive meets to choose a venue for the convention.
November 23, 2012, 5 pm ET (UTC−05:00) – Deadline for candidates to pay $50,000 entry fee and file nomination papers signed by at least 250 party members. Membership cut-off date for eligibility to vote for delegates.
December 1, 2012, 1 pm ET – Ingersoll Leadership Debate
December 9, 2012, 1 pm ET – Thunder Bay Leadership Debate
December 18, 2012, 7 pm ET – Ottawa Leadership Debate
January 6, 2013, 1 pm ET – Durham Region Leadership Debate
January 9, 2013, 7 pm ET – Toronto Leadership Debate
January 12–13, 2013 – Delegate selection meetings will be held in all 107 Ontario ridings.
January 25, 2013 – convention opens
January 26, 2013 – leadership election
January 27, 2013 – convention ends

Candidates

Eric Hoskins

Eric Hoskins was the MPP for St. Paul's (2009–2018); Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2010–2011); Minister of Children and Youth Services (2011–2012); Former President of War Child Canada

Date campaign launched: November 13, 2012

Campaign website: ericforleader.ca

Members signed up: Not disclosed

Elected delegates: 104

Gerard Kennedy

Gerard Kennedy is a former candidate for the Ontario Liberal leadership in 1996; MPP for Parkdale—High Park (1996–2006); Minister of Education (2003–2006); Candidate for the federal Liberal leadership in 2006; MP for Parkdale—High Park (2008–2011)

Date campaign launched: November 12, 2012

Campaign website: gerardkennedy.ca

Members signed up: 5,000

Elected delegates: 257

Sandra Pupatello

Sandra Pupatello is the former MPP for Windsor West (1995–2011); Minister of Community and Social Services (2003–2006); Minister of Education (2006); Minister of Economic Development and Innovation (2006–2008; 2009–2011); Minister of International Trade and Investment (2008–2009); Director of business and global markets at PricewaterhouseCoopers (2011–2012)

Date campaign launched: November 8, 2012

Campaign website: sandraforleader.ca

Members signed up: 4,000

Elected delegates: 504

Charles Sousa

Charles Sousa is the MPP for Mississauga South (2007–2018); Minister of Labour (2010–2011); Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2011–2012)

Date campaign launched: November 10, 2012

Campaign website: votesousa.ca

Members signed up: 6,000

Elected delegates: 198

Harinder Takhar

Harinder Takhar is the MPP for Mississauga—Erindale (2003–2018); Minister of Transportation (2003–2006; Minister of Consumer Services (2006–2009); Minister of Government Services (2009–2012)

Date campaign announced: November 22, 2012

Campaign website: votetakhar.com

Members signed up: 4,000

Elected delegates: 244

Kathleen Wynne

Kathleen Wynne is the MPP for Don Valley West (2003–present), Minister of Education (2006–2010); Minister of Transportation (2010–2011); Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Aboriginal Affairs (2011–2012); Toronto District School Board Trustee Ward 8 (2000–2003)

Date campaign launched: November 5, 2012

Campaign website: kathleenwynne.ca

Members signed up: 8,000

Elected delegates: 463

Withdrew prior to convention

Glen Murray

Background: MPP for Toronto Centre (2010–present), Minister of Research and Innovation (2010–2011); Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities (2011–2012); CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute (2007–2010); Mayor of Winnipeg (1998–2004); Date campaign launched: November 4, 2012; Date of withdrawal: January 10, 2013; Endorsed: Kathleen Wynne; Campaign website: www.renewliberal.ca
Supporters

MPPs: (1) Kevin Flynn (Oakville)
Former MPPs: (1) Elinor Caplan (Oriole 1985–1997, former provincial and federal cabinet minister)
Federal politicians:
Municipal politicians:
Other prominent individuals:

Members signed up: 3,000

Declined to run

Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, MPP for Sudbury.
Chris Bentley, Minister of Energy and MPP for London West – retiring from politics
Jim Bradley, Minister of Environment and MPP for St. Catharines
Laurel Broten, Minister of Education and MPP for Etobicoke—Lakeshore
Michael Bryant, former Attorney-General
David Caplan, former Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (2007–2009)
Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Infrastructure and MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean
Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and MPP for Scarborough Centre
Dwight Duncan, Deputy Premier, Finance Minister and MPP for Windsor—Tecumseh – retiring from politics
John Gerretsen, Attorney-General and MPP for Kingston and the Islands
Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-term Care and MPP for London North Centre
Yasir Naqvi, MPP for Ottawa Centre and President of the Ontario Liberal Party.
David Orazietti, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie.
Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, Ontario
George Smitherman, former Deputy Premier
John Wilkinson, former Minister of the Environment

Opinion polling

All Ontarians

Liberal supporters only

Results

Delegate selection meetings

A total of 1,857 delegates were elected from Ontario's 107 electoral districts (1,712), and from the Ontario Liberal Party's 18 youth and 8 women's clubs (141). The delegates were selected over the weekend of January 12–13, with 896 elected on January 12 from the 905 region and northern and eastern Ontario and 957 elected on January 13 from Toronto and southwestern Ontario. Most of these delegates elected were pledged to support one of the leadership candidates on the first ballot at the January 25 convention, while some were independents who could vote for whomever they chose at the convention. An additional 419 ex-officio delegates were eligible to vote at the convention by virtue of party and elected offices they have held.