Ontario Liberals approve new voting process for leadership race

Ontario Liberals voted Saturday to forge ahead with a new system for selecting their next leader, shedding the delegated conventions of old as the party seeks renewal and recovery from two consecutive electoral disasters.

Members attending the party’s annual general meeting in Hamilton this weekend overwhelmingly voted for a one-member-one-vote system. Proponents say the process is more democratic, and that delegated conventions put too much power in back rooms.

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser said the vote represents change.

“It’s part of renewal,” he said. “(Delegated conventions were) something we did for a long time, a few decades and now we’ve decided, let’s do something different.”

The race to replace former leader Steven Del Duca has not yet officially started, though three contenders are openly exploring bids: MP Nate Erskine-Smith, MP and former Ontario cabinet minister Yasir Naqvi, and current provincial caucus member and former MP Ted Hsu.

Erskine-Smith said the new voting system will allow for a more modern and open process.

“When I look at travelling the province and engaging people in a leadership process, that ability to directly engage new members and longtime members to say, ‘You have a direct voice in who your next leader is going to be,’ will be an incredibly powerful way to engage people in the political process,” he said.

We did it! Our Ontario Liberal Party has taken a massive step forward today.

Now every member will have a voice in the selection of our new leader.

Let’s rebuild together. #OLPAGM pic.twitter.com/KOzHyExqYr

— Yasir Naqvi

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