Inside the big Liberal love-in
Also: Jama's political hot-potato, Bratina backs Wiesner, McGarry's slim win, WOMOV wins despite delegated stragglers, Mitzie's in, Bonnie's out, Spotted at suites, French commish exit, a party in PO
ABOVE THE FOLD
Talking to Liberals at this weekend’s annual general meeting, you’d think the last two elections never happened.
But being hacked down to a “minivan” sized party by voters felt like a distant memory for the 1,500 Grits who packed the Hamilton Convention Centre — where they made a crucial change in the way they’ll pick their next leader, elected a familiar face as party president, schmoozed with leadership hopefuls and, naturally, spilled the tea.
Here’s the inside story on what went down.
— WOMOV WINS, DESPITE DELEGATED STRAGGLERS’ LAST STAND: The next Liberal leader will be elected by a direct vote. As expected, a bigger majority of Grits supported a weighted one-member-one-vote system, which cleared the 66 per cent threshold required for a constitutional amendment.
How it’ll work: Each party member will get to vote for the next leader via a ranked ballot, with each riding association weighted at 100 points. 50 points will be given to each of the party’s student clubs, with 5 points for women’s clubs.
That brings the Grits up to speed with most other major parties in the country — proponents of WOMOV say it’s more democratic while the traditional delegated convention favoured backroom deals and parachuted delegates.
Still, the stragglers held strong until the very end. Fans of delegated conventions have argued that no one is better suited to picking the party leader than the local delegate reps from riding associations. Our sources say JACK SIEGEL, who served as party counsel, and ANDREW STEELE, veteran Liberal strategist, spoke out against WOMOV. TIM SMITHEMAN, a campaign operative who co-hosted a recent fundraiser with would-be leadership contestant YASIR NAQVI, also voted against it.
What’s next: The party’s new executive council will start to determine the rules for the leadership contest, including timelines and cost of entry. Our sources have long said they don’t expect the race to kick off until 2024. Many party insiders say the sooner, the better.
— McGARRY SQUEEZES OUT A NARROW WIN: KATHRYN McGARRY is back, this time as party president — but it was a close one.
The former minister and mayor was the high-profile contender in the three-way race — but NATALIE HART gave her a run for her money. McGarry narrowly beat Hart by 25, per our sources. FADI EL MASRY placed third.
McGarry also wound up voting in favour of WOMOV — after telling us she would stay neutral. Catch up on our Q+A.
Also elected to the executive:
DAMIEN O’BRIEN, Executive Vice-President
PANKAJ SANDHU, Secretary
TIM SHORTHILL, Treasurer
FAHIM KHAN, Vice-President (Policy)
DAVID FARROW, Vice-President (Organization)
EMILY KIRK, Vice-President (Communications)
LI KOO, Vice-President (Engagement)
ADAM REINHARDT, Regional Vice-President (Central East)
JESSE PLASCHKA, Regional Vice-President (Central North)
KAREN DADWAN, Regional Vice-President (East)
LORNA JEAN EDMONDS, Regional Vice-President (East)
KRISTEN OLIVER, Regional Vice-President (North)
DOUG VARLEY, Regional Vice-President (South Central)
BOB WRIGHT, Regional Vice-President (Southwest)
DAVID MORRIS, Regional Vice-President (Toronto Etobicoke / Downtown / East York)
LAWRENCE DAWKINS, Regional Vice-President (Toronto York / North York / Scarborough)
— MITZIE MAKES THE ROUNDS: MITZIE HUNTER is fuelling the rumour mill when it comes to her potential bid to replace JOHN TORY at Toronto City Hall.
The vibe from the veteran MPP, sources tell me, is that it’s a done deal.
“Looks like Mitzie is in re: Toronto Mayor. Quite shocked but she was approaching key folks at the convention basically saying she’s doing it. I can’t believe she will vacate the seat! But it looks like this is what’s happening.”
Byelection, ho! To run for mayor, Hunter would have to resign her long-held Scarborough—Guildwood seat at Queen’s Park by the time she hands in her nomination papers to the City Clerk, which are due by Friday, May 12 at 2 p.m.
— BONNIE BUZZES OUT: Mississauga Mayor BONNIE CROMBIE downplayed the growing campaign to draft her for leader, first scooped in this newsletter.
Our sources got the impression that Crombie — who headlined a hospitality suite at the AGM — is happy where she’s at and has no intent to jump into the fray (for now).
SPOTTED AT THE HOSPITALITY SUITES, which we laid out last week — At YASIR NAQVI’s karaoke night: ANA BAILÃO, ELEANOR McMAHON, JOHN WILKINSON, GLENN THIBEAULT, CRISTINA MARTINS, MITZIE HUNTER, ALVIN TEDJO, SOPHIE KIWALA, MARY FRAGEDAKIS…
At NATE ERSKINE-SMITH’s suite: VINCE GASPARRO, IMRAN MIAN, MANAL ABDULLAHI, SARWAR CHOUDHURY.
First in Queen’s Park Observer — STEELTOWN, STEEL THYSELF — The gloves are off in Hamilton Centre just 10 days out from byelection day.
— BRATINA’S PICK: In a rare step, former Hamilton mayor and Liberal MP BOB BRATINA took out an advertorial in the Spectator endorsing PC candidate and local cop PETE WIESNER.
— Bratina’s pitch: After decades as an NDP bastion, it’s time for an MPP who actually sits on the government bench. “Hamilton Centre has not had a voice in the provincial government for nearly 30 years…In my opinion Pete Wiesner is the best candidate to represent Hamilton Centre.”
“Other candidates, whatever their strengths, will not have the ear of Premier Ford, and as a result they’ll be stuck on the sidelines unable to deliver for Hamilton…The best way to get things done for the people of Hamilton Centre is to elect a candidate from the governing party…The Premier can’t help but take notice if a PC candidate is chosen to represent Hamilton Centre at Queen’s Park.”
— MEANWHILE, JAMA PLAYS DEFENCE: Another New Democrat has landed in hot water for their stance on Israel and Palestine.
NDP candidate SARAH JAMA — likely the next MPP for Hamilton Centre — is the latest to be caught in the crosshairs of the perpetual political hot-potato.
“Is it antisemitic to call the existence of Israel into question or to attend rallies with chants like ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free?’ Members of the Jewish community would say yes, Ontario’s NDP is saying no and defending their candidate in Hamilton Centre.” The Sun has the story.
HAPPENING TODAY
9 a.m.: A hat trick of Ministers will speak at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre: Mines Minister GEORGE PIRIE, Northern Development Minister GREG RICKFORD and Environment Minister DAVID PICCINI.
10 a.m.: The parent-led Ontario Autism Coalition is in the Media Studio alongside MONIQUE TAYLOR, the NDP’s longtime outspoken critic on the file, as part of their lobby day (read on for today’s reception lineup).
— Teaser from the OAC: “Autistic children in Ontario have been waiting for years for the implementation of the Ontario Autism Program. As a result, they are losing precious developmental time. While the community waits for the government to ‘get it right,’ things have been going very wrong for many children and their families. The lack of clear communication from the ministry has caused confusion about the program for families and left them unable to plan for their future. Most children registered for the OAP still do NOT have access to the core funding they require for services/therapies they need.”
1:50 p.m.: Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY and Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA are headlining a “fireside” chat at the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s sold-out “Gateway to Growth Summit.” Also on the keynote roster: Mississauga Mayor BONNIE CROMBIE and Brampton Mayor PATRICK BROWN. Invite.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
— First up: It being the first sitting Monday of the month, MPPs will kick off the day singing O Canada and the Royal Anthem — something NDP Indigenous Affairs critic SOL MAMAKA tends to sit out in protest.
— After the morning’s Question Period, a couple of deferred votes: On second reading of Bill 69, Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA’s bill to curtail environmental assessments on certain projects, which will be sent to committee (unless the PCs fast track it with a time-allocation motion). Ditto a vote on NDPer WAYNE GATES’s (non-binding) backbench motion to ensure prostate cancer screenings are covered by OHIP.
— Oppo Day Motion #2: It’s the second Oppo Day Motion debate of the year, focusing on mental health. NDP Leader MARIT STILES will kick off the special debate calling on the Ford government “to increase the base funding for each branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association by 8% as an immediate emergency stabilization investment.” Reminder: Motions are non-binding but have symbolic value.
— Later on, Bill 46 — the PCs latest red-tape reduction package — is back on the floor for third-reading debate.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — 12:30 p.m.: After laying out their study of the Auditor General’s latest value-for-money reports last week, the Public Accounts committee gets cracking, starting with a look at outpatient surgeries. MPPs get a closed-door briefing from AG BONNIE LYSYK, then opens the doors to hear public testimony from top Health bureaucrats, including Deputy Minister CATHERINE ZAHN and Ontario Health head MATTHEW ANDERSON. Full lineup.
AROUND THE PRECINCT — The Ontario Autism Coalition and OPSEU’s correctional division are each serving up MPP breakfasts. The Christian Labour Association of Canada and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce have the evening receptions covered. Need some cocktail chatter? The OCC laid out its lobby day concerns, including labour market challenges, the health care system, growth-enabling infrastructure and modernizing regulation.
IN OTHER NEWS…
— CASH GRAB: The Star followed our scoop on DOUG FORD’s leader’s dinner fundraising event for the PCs, which saw 4,000 attendees cough up $6 million total — making for the biggest political money-making event in Canadian history.
— BARGAINING BREAKDOWN: “Contract talks between nurses and the Ontario Hospital Association have broken down and will now head to arbitration…Arbitration is set for early May.” CP reports.
— FIREFIGHTERS COVERAGE: Labour Minister MONTE MCNAUGHTON’s move to expand WSIB coverage of thyroid and pancreatic cancers for firefighters has mended the fence with the union.
From the Globe: “Just months ago, the firefighters’ union and the government were at odds over Premier Doug Ford’s invoking of the notwithstanding clause to prevent education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees from going on strike…But the OPFFA has been campaigning for greater WSIB cancer coverage for its members for almost two years and Mr. Horton told The Globe that he received ‘tremendous support’ from Premier Ford and Mr. McNaughton on this issue. ‘Some people say we only see eye-to-eye with private-sector unions. That’s not true and this is an example of it,’ said McNaughton.”
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Queen’s Park Observer — A FRENCH EXIT — Ontario Ombudsman PAUL DUBÉ is on the hunt for a new French Language Services Commissioner after KELLY BURKE’s exit. No details were provided on Burke’s departure, but the watchdog’s office named her interim replacement: CARL BOUCHARD, who served as the director of operations of the French Language Service Unit since 2020.
Refresher: The PCs cut the French watchdog’s standalone role and folded it into that of the Ombudsman’s office — a controversial move that, along with other cuts to Francophone services, spurred then-PC AMANDA SIMARD to defect to the Grits.
BEYOND THE BUBBLE — The Ontario Real Estate Association has a new president: TANIA ARTENOSI, a Vaughan-based broker who takes over after the group’s AGM last week. (Ex-PC leader and MPP TIM HUDAK is still president of the real estate lobby group.)
SPOTTED II:
FORD’s office courier’ed “a full box of glossy ‘healthcare’ propaganda books” to NDP JENNIFER FRENCH’s constit office…NDP Leader MARIT STILES hosting a Women’s Day brunch at the Katana Kafe & Grill in London…Grits, including ex-premier KATHLEEN WYNNE, door-knocking while in Hamilton.
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations since Friday:
Garry Keller, StrategyCorp: Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada
Aidan Grove-White, StrategyCorp: Choice Properties Limited Partnership
Devan Sommerville, Michael Ras and Philip Dewan, Counsel Public Affairs: Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities
Derrick Araneda, Stosic & Associates: Closing the Gap Healthcare
Rod Elliot, Global Public Affairs: Kindred Partners, Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC
James Prowse, McMillan Vantage Policy Group: IDEMIA Identity and Security
Chris Benedetti, Sussex Strategy Group: Electricity Distributors Association
In-house organizations: LIUNA — Enbridge — Bruce Power — Canadian Credit Union Association — Innovative Medicines Canada — Hazelett Castechnology.
🥳 HAPPY BIRTHDAY: CODY WELTON, the Premier’s deputy chief of staff on issues management, media relations and Leg affairs.
⌛ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 10 days until the byelection in Hamilton Centre…17 days until the budget drops…112 days until Toronto’s mayoral byelection.