In the Ontario Liberal leadership contest, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie is ahead after the initial round of votes. The event has seen Ted Hsu, a former Liberal MP and current caucus member, drop out after securing the least points (1,300) in the first round. His supporters’ subsequent preferences are now being added to the scores of the three remaining candidates: Crombie, MP Yasir Naqvi, and MP Nate Erskine-Smith.
Crombie leads with 5,559 points, followed by Erskine-Smith (3,320 points) and Naqvi (2,760 points). The winning threshold is set at 6,471 points. Votes were cast using a ranked ballot system, with points awarded based on a weighted formula across the 124 ridings.
Former premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne emphasized unity at the leadership convention, urging support for the new leader. The race has seen record membership sign-ups, with over 100,000 people eligible to vote, a significant increase from previous years. The party also successfully cleared its $3 million debt from the 2022 election, partly due to fundraising during this campaign.
Erskine-Smith and Naqvi have mutually endorsed each other for the second-choice votes. The new leader, none of whom currently hold a seat in the provincial legislature, will face the decision of whether to run for a seat or build the party from outside the chamber.
John Fraser, the interim party leader, emphasized the importance of connecting with communities across Ontario, stating that the new leader’s approach to seeking a provincial seat is up to them. Fraser, having served as interim leader twice, ruled out another term, expressing confidence in the party’s current momentum.
