SCOOP: Stiles campaign materials leak ahead of NDP leadership bid
Also: PC convention ramps up, MPPs go to the furrows, big staff moves, 96-gun salute, birthdays
ABOVE THE FOLD
First in Queen’s Park Observer — MARIT STILES is poised to enter the arena for NDP leader.
Sources have leaked me fresh campaign materials suggesting the Official Opposition’s Education critic and MPP for Davenport is gearing up for a leadership bid in the hopes of taking up the mantle from ex-leader-turned-wannabe-Hamilton-mayor ANDREA HORWATH in March.
I’m not sharing specifics of the campaign materials as I don’t want to burn my sources.
What I can tell you is the promo materials include logos and graphic designs with Stiles’s name in block letters, printed in shades of blood orange and apricot yellow.
Stiles has long been rumoured to enter the race to permanently replace Horwath. As we previously scooped, Stiles put out a post-election survey gauging supporters’ thoughts on the NDP — and collecting contact information that would come in handy for a leadership bid.
The survey asked: “What did you think about the Ontario NDP’s campaign in the 2022 provincial election? — What would you like to see from the next leader of our party? — What issues do you think that our party and caucus should prioritize over the next 4 years? — Please share your contact information so I can keep in touch with you.”
I asked Stiles’s office for comment and to clarify whether the campaign materials could be for another purpose besides a leadership contest (Tuesday was her birthday, after all) — but they did not reply. I will update this space with any response.
For now, catch up on my door-knocking adventures with Stiles in Davenport.
Other potential contenders: LAURA MAE LINDO (Kitchener Centre), CATHERINE FIFE (Waterloo), WAYNE GATES (Niagara Falls) and SOL MAMAKWA (Kiiwetinoong) have all expressed interest in replacing Horwath.
What’s next: New Democrats pick their next captain the first week of March 2023. The party’s provincial council laid out the rules for the leadership contest in July, saying wannabe candidates have to register by early December.
The cost of entry: Leadership hopefuls will have to submit 100 signatures, of which half need to be from women and 25 per cent from equity-seeking groups, such as Black, Indigenous and racialized party members. At least 20 signatures must come from folks who live in at least four of six geographic regions.
Big spenders: Each leadership campaign can spend up to $900,000. The registration fee is $5,000 upon signing up, then another $50,000 paid in instalments. The party pointed out that “this figure is expected to be fundraised from supporters, and is substantially lower than the approximately $100,000 registration fee for the most recent Ontario Liberal Party and Ontario PC Party leadership contests.”
The rules: It’s a ranked ballot, so NDPers will vote for candidates based on their order of preference. The winner needs 50 per cent plus one vote, meaning there could be multiple rounds before a candidate gets a clear majority. There will also be two leadership debates. Ditto “meet-and-greet” sessions.
TORIES TO PARTY — Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives are gearing up for their annual convention next month.
Card-carrying PC delegates are set to rally at the Toronto Congress Centre — an oft-used venue for Premier DOUG FORD in the heart of Ford Nation, Etobicoke, from October 21 to 22 — just before the House is slated to reconvene, on October 25.
The agenda: Highlights include the election of a new party executive and regional representatives for the PC Ontario Fund Board, the party’s fundraising arm. There’s also a vote on potential amendments to the party’s constitution, as well as policy sessions and a chance to rub elbows with the newly elected caucus and Ford.
The deadline: Wannabe executive candidates had until last Friday to secure their nominations. Each riding association gets to send a certain number of delegates to the convention, and those delegates will vote for who they want to see on the exec.
The cost of entry: The price of entry for most delegates is $299, with a discounted youth rate of $149. Non-Tories — including opposition party rivals who may want to scope out their competition — must cough up $1,000 to get in the gate.
HAPPENING TODAY
DOUG FORD’S WEDNESDAY — The Premier will attend the funeral for slain Toronto Constable ANDREW HONG, which means he’s skipping out on the Plowing Match in Kemptville. Interim NDP Leader PETER TABUNS is also attending the funeral. Catch up on our Plowing Match primer here.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
TRANSITION — Attorney General DOUG DOWNEY has poached a couple of comms staffers. From Treasury Board President PRABMEET SARKARIA’s office, NATALIA TKACZ joins Downey’s team as senior communications adviser. Ditto JACK FAZZARI, Downey’s other senior comms adviser, who was previously Education Minister STEPHEN LECCE’s executive assistant.
— KIERAN MOLONEY is now Downey’s MPP liaison and tour adviser.
— And speaking of Lecce, MORGAN MATTERN is now his stakeholder relations adviser, while CLEMENT LEONG is MPP liaison.
PROMOTION — In Energy Minister TODD SMITH’s office: KOKULAN MAHENDIRAN is now a senior policy adviser, JOSHUA NAHMIAS goes from exec and legislative assistant to policy adviser, and BHAVKIRAT GILL is now Smith’s executive assistant.
— Over in Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA’s camp: THOMAS STAPLES becomes director of policy. Staples previously served as manager of stakeholder relations.
ON THE CIVIL SERVICE SIDE — ALYSSIA GILLIS is now a policy adviser to the Deputy Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. Gillis was previously a support coordinator to the DM for Long-Term Care.
SPOTTED: MPPs kicking off the Plowing Match in Kemptville, sans their leaders
ALSO SPOTTED: A 96-gun salute in honour of the Queen
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
— Scott Munnoch, Temple Scott Associates: SoLVBL Solutions Inc.
— Ryan Singh, Temple Scott Associates: Scleroderma Society of Ontario
— Bliss Baker, Cumberland Strategies: Royalpark Homes
— Carys Baker, Cumberland Strategies: Midori-Biosolution
— Tahereh Granpayehvaghei, StrategyCorp: Choice Properties Limited Partnership
— Daniela Cavatassi and Marc Kealey, Kealey & Associates: Crossbet Canada Ltd
— Melissa Cable, Compass Rose: Music Publishers Canada
In-house organizations: Loblaw Companies Ltd. — Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada — Ontario Charitable Gaming Association — March of Dimes Canada — Scooty Mobility.
🥳 HAPPY BIRTHDAY: RAHUL BEDI, the Premier’s executive director of industry and innovation policy…GEORGE GOETTLER, executive assistant to the chief government whip…TYLER WATT, former Liberal candidate for Nepean.
⏳COUNTDOWN: 34 days until the House reconvenes…33 days until municipal elections…55 days until the Fall Economic Statement a.k.a. mini-budget is legally due out.