2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election explained

Election Name:2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election
Country:Ontario
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election
Previous Year:2013
Next Election:2023 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election
Next Year:2023
Election Date:March 7, 2020
Leader
Before Election:John Fraser (interim)
After Election:Steven Del Duca
3Blank:Pledged delegates
Image1:ALL DelDucaHeadshot (cropped).jpg
Colour1:f16273
Candidate1:Steven Del Duca
2Data1:1,258
(58.79%)
3Data1:1,172
(56.24%)
Colour2:555553
Candidate2:Michael Coteau
2Data2:363
(16.96%)
3Data2:370
(17.75%)
Image3:KG
Colour3:825ec3
Candidate3:Kate Graham
2Data3:299
(13.97%)
3Data3:273
(13.10%)
Image4:Mitzie Hunter MS (cropped).png
Colour4:ffd561
Candidate4:Mitzie Hunter
2Data4:122
(5.70%)
3Data4:130
(6.24%)
Image5:Alvin in 2024 (cropped).jpg
Colour5:43d384
Candidate5:Alvin Tedjo
2Data5:74
(3.46%)
3Data5:72
(3.45%)
Image6:BH
Candidate6:Brenda Hollingsworth
Colour6:34a1f6
2Data6:24
(1.12%)
3Data6:25
(1.20%)
Map Size:350px
Party:Ontario Liberal Party
Year:2020
Date:March 7, 2020
Location:International Centre,Mississauga, Ontario
Numcands:6
Ballots:1
Entryfee:$100,000
($75,000 non-refundable)
Spendcap:$900,000

The 2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election concluded on March 7, 2020, resulting in the election of Steven Del Duca, a former cabinet minister in the government of Kathleen Wynne, as Ontario Liberal Party’s 33rd leader.

The leadership election took place following the resignation of Kathleen Wynne after over five years at the helm of the party. Her resignation took place on the evening of June 7, 2018, after the majority government led by her was defeated in the 2018 election and the party lost official party status.

The leadership election featured six candidates: former cabinet ministers Del Duca, Michael Coteau, and Mitzie Hunter, former provincial election candidates Kate Graham and Alvin Tedjo, and political newcomer Brenda Hollingsworth. The election was concluded with a delegated convention that took place March 6–7, 2020 at the International Centre in Mississauga.

Background

Lead up to the 2018 Election

After securing an upset leadership victory in 2013, Kathleen Wynne won a fourth consecutive mandate for the Ontario Liberal Party in June 2014 by marketing herself as a fresh face for the Liberals who would distance the party from Dalton McGuinty.[1] However, the Liberals' standing with voters was badly hurt when Wynne’s government partially privatized Hydro One in 2015, after campaigning against it in the 2014 election, as well as rising criticism over "ballooning provincial debt, high electricity prices and costly, politically expedient decisions".[2] The party headed into the 2018 election campaign trailing far behind the Progressive Conservatives. In the two years leading up to the 2018 campaign, the Liberals trailed the Progressive Conservatives in all but three of the more than eighty opinion polls published.

With the party’s electoral fortune declining, there were public calls for Wynne’s resignation as early as spring 2017, most notably from former finance minister and campaign chair Greg Sorbara[3] (under whom Wynne served as campaign vice-chair in 2011). Wynne consistently resisted the calls. Throughout the 2018 election campaign, the Liberals polled consistently in third place behind not only the Progressive Conservatives but also the New Democrats. CBC’s poll tracker projected zero to two seats (out of 124) for the Liberals at multiple points of the election campaign.

At the conclusion of the campaign, the Liberals elected only seven MPPs, losing official party status in the Legislature. It was the worst electoral result in the party's 161-year history and the worst result for any incumbent governing party in Ontario. On the night of the election, Wynne announced her resignation as party leader, while continuing to sit in the legislature as MPP for Don Valley West.[4]

Interim leader

Wynne announced on election night that she had asked the party president to begin the process of choosing an interim leader. According to the party's constitution, an interim leader is to be selected by a vote of the party caucus, the presidents of riding associations without an elected Liberal MPPs and party executive members.[5] With four of the remaining seven caucus members actively contemplating leadership bids, one being in poor health, and one being the outgoing leader, the Liberal caucus quickly endorsed the seventh member, Ottawa South MPP John Fraser, to serve as interim leader on June 13, 2018.[6] Fraser assumed the office of interim leader on June 14, following a ratification vote of party executives and presidents of riding associations for the remaining 117 ridings that do not have a Liberal MPP.[7]

Rules and procedures

Under the procedure outlined by the party's constitution, all members of the Ontario Liberal Party are eligible to cast a two-part ballot at one of the "Leadership Election Meetings" held across the province. Members vote directly for their choice of leadership candidate (or for "independent") in the top part of the ballot, and for local delegates for the leadership convention in the bottom part of the ballot. Elected delegates were apportioned to leadership candidates based on their share of votes in the top part of the ballot, and are bounded to vote for their leadership candidates on the first ballot at the leadership convention. The small number of independent delegates elected can vote for whomever they chose at the convention.[8]

The delegates of the leadership convention made up of approximately 2000 elected delegates (16 delegates elected by members from each of the 124 electoral districts, 8 delegates from each Ontario Young Liberals campus clubs, 1 delegate from each Ontario Women Liberals Commission clubs) and more than 500 ex-officio delegates (by virtue of party and elected offices they have held, such as sitting and former Liberal MPPs, recent provincial Liberal candidates, sitting federal Liberal MPs, and various party officials and representatives of party bodies).[9] Balloting at convention continues until one candidate receives a majority of ballots cast.

At the party's Annual General Meeting held on June 8, 2019, an organized attempt was made to amend the party constitution to change the leadership election system to eliminate the delegated convention and adopted a weighted One Member One Vote point system similar to the ones used by the Progressive Conservatives and the federal Liberal Party. The amendment was supported by 57% of delegates, but failed to receive the two-thirds majority required for it to pass.[10]

The 2020 leadership election marked the last time that this system was used, as a weighted one member one vote point system was adopted by the party in 2023.[11]

Leadership Campaign

Early campaigning

Given the weak polling numbers during the final years of the Wynne government, there was frequent chatter about the leadership aspirations of various cabinet members and MPPs. The names most frequently discussed were of finance minister Charles Sousa, health minister Eric Hoskins (both 2013 leadership contenders), Attorney General Yasir Naqvi (party president at the time of the 2013 leadership election), transport minister Steven Del Duca (co-chair of the 2013 leadership convention), and backbench MPP Yvan Baker.

With Sousa, Del Duca, Naqvi and Baker all losing their seats and Hoskins leaving provincial politics, the likely slate of candidates became uncertain after the 2018 election. In the latter half of 2018, four former ministers who survived the election, Michael Coteau, Mitzie Hunter, Marie-France Lalonde, and Nathalie Des Rosiers, actively explored their candidacies, while the candidacies of Del Duca, Naqvi, and Baker continued to be frequently speculated. Baker and Lalonde later opted to seek federal seats (both successful). Des Rosiers left politics to become principal of Massey College,[12] while Naqvi became CEO of Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Del Duca briefly sought the chair-ship of York Region until the election was cancelled by the Ford government. Adam Vaughan and Mark Holland, two relatively high-profile MPs, both publicly acknowledged that they contemplated and subsequently ruled out bids, opting to seek re-election federally.

Formal campaign

On April 3, 2019, Del Duca formally declared his candidacy, the first candidate to do so. This was prior to the party’s annual general meeting in June where amendment proposals to the leadership rules were being debated. Del Duca refrained from taking positions on any of the amendment proposals, citing perceived conflict of interests. Alvin Tedjo, a former political aide and provincial election candidate, declared his candidacy in late May. An organized “draft Chris Hadfield” movement was present at the party’s annual meeting, even though the former astronaut at no point expressed any inclination to enter politics.

Following the annual meeting, the party announced that it would formally “call” the leadership contest (a legal requirement imposed by the legislation) on July 18, 2019, that candidate registration deadline would be on November 25, 2019, and that the contest would conclude at a convention on March 7, 2020. It also announced an entrance fee of $100,000 (including $25,000 refundable deposit) and a spending limit of $900,000.

Coteau announced his candidacy soon after the party’s annual meeting in June, while Hunter formally joined the race in early August. Kate Graham, a university instructor and former provincial election candidate, joined the race in September. Kyle Peterson, outgoing MP for Newmarket-Aurora, and Arthur Potts, a former MPP, both commenced bids in the fall of 2019, but ended their bids prior to formally launching their campaigns. Ottawa lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth, a political newcomer, joined the race on the registration deadline, rounding out the field of six.

The party organized six debates among the candidates, held in Guelph (December 8), Windsor (December 12), Ottawa (January 20), Sudbury (January 30), Markham (February 1) and Toronto (February 24). All six debates were livestreamed on the party’s website. In addition, the Empire Club of Canada hosted a debate on January 15, and TVO hosted a televised debate on February 19.

The party imposed membership cut-off for voting eligibility for December 2, 2019. At the cut-off, Del Duca claimed to have recruited 14,173 members while Coteau, Hunter and Tedjo claimed 8500, 2000 and 1000 respectively. The party later disclosed that 37,831 members in total were eligible to vote.

Del Duca was seen as the frontrunner throughout the campaign. It was generally agreed that he had the most robust ground organization and most experienced campaign team.[13] [14] [15] He also received by-far the largest share of endorsements from elected and party officials, with more public endorsements from former and current MPPs and MPs than the other five candidates combined. Coteau, with the longest tenure in the legislature and cabinet, pitched himself as the primary rival to Del Duca, and was generally viewed as seeking to reform the party. Graham, a political newcomer who campaigned to “change how we do politics”, also put forward a competitive campaign with the endorsements of former Deputy Premier Deb Matthews and a number other prominent figures seen as close to Wynne.

Del Duca’s frontrunner status was cemented after the February 8–9, 2020 weekend, during which party members throughout the province voted at local leadership election meetings. Del Duca earned over 55% of the elected delegates, won the most votes in 89 of 124 ridings, and led delegate counts in all regions of the province. Coteau was in second, with Graham a distant third place, earning 18% and 13% of the delegate respectively. With strong second place showing in Southwestern Ontario (which voted on Saturday of the weekend), Graham actually led Coteau on delegate count after the first day of voting. Coteau re-gained second place by the end of the weekend, with stronger showing in Toronto and Eastern Ontario (which voted on Sunday).

Despite the outcome of the leadership election being a virtual certainty leading up to the convention, about 3,000 people attended the two-day event, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and interim leader John Fraser. On March 7, 2020, Del Duca was formally elected leader on the first ballot with 59% of the ballot cast.[16]

Registered candidates

Steven Del Duca

Steven Del Duca is the former MPP for Vaughan (2012-2018), Former Minister of Economic Development and Growth (2018) and Minister of Transportation (2014-2018).[17] [18]

Date announced: April 3, 2019 [19]

Date registered with Elections Ontario: July 19, 2019

Campaign website:

Members signed up: 14,173

Contributions received: $631,109.35[20]

Campaign expenditures: $645,161.00

Michael Coteau

Michael Coteau is the MPP for Don Valley East (since 2011) and Liberal critic for Economic Development, Labour, Energy, and Infrastructure;[21] former Minister of Community and Social Services (2018), Minister of Children and Youth Services and minister responsible for anti-racism (2016-2018), Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport and minister responsible for the 2015 Pan American Games and Parapan Games (2014-2016), and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2013-2014); former Toronto District School Board trustee for Ward 17 (2003–11); former small business owner and national nonprofit CEO.

Date announced: June 16, 2019 [21]

Date registered with Elections Ontario: July 24, 2019[22]

Campaign website:

Members signed up: 8,500

Contributions received: $318,367.00[23]

Campaign expenditures: $334,200.00

Kate Graham

Kate Graham was the 2018 candidate in London North Centre, and a former civil servant at City of London, instructor at Western University

Date announced: September 7, 2019

Date registered with Elections Ontario: August 23, 2019[22]

Campaign website:

Members signed up: not disclosed

Contributions received: $217,057.33[24]

Campaign expenditures: $246,836.85

Brenda Hollingsworth

Brenda Hollingsworth is a Ottawa personal injury lawyer

Date announced: November 25, 2019[25]

Date registered with Elections Ontario:

Campaign website:

Members signed up: 0

Contributions received: $15,355.00[26]

Campaign expenditures: $36,061.10

Mitzie Hunter

Mitzie Hunter is the MPP for Scarborough—Guildwood (since 2013), former Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development (2018), Minister of Education (2016-2018), and Associate Minister of Finance (2014-2016). If Hunter had been the victor she would have been the first black leader of a major political party in Canada both on a federal and provincial level.

Date announced: August 14, 2019[27]

Date registered with Elections Ontario: August 20, 2019[22]

Campaign website:

Members signed up: 2,000

Contributions received: $306,907.00[28]

Campaign expenditures: $355,507.00

Alvin Tedjo

Alvin Tedjo was the 2018 candidate in Oakville North—Burlington, and a former director of Government Relations for Sheridan College, former political staff to multiple Ministers of Training, Colleges and Universities[29] [30] [31]

Date announced: May 27, 2019[32]

Date registered with Elections Ontario: August 23, 2019[22]

Campaign website:

Members signed up: 1,000

Contributions received: $115,878.00[33]

Campaign expenditures: $169,309.00

Declined

Declared intention to party officials, with representatives attended at least one campaign representatives meetings

Took exploratory steps

Speculated, but no reported exploratory effort

Results

Local Voting

All members of the Ontario Liberal Party as of December 2, 2019 were eligible to cast a two-part ballot at one of the "Leadership Election Meetings" held across the province. Members vote directly for their choice of leadership candidate (or for "independent") in the top part of the ballot, and for local delegates in the bottom part of the ballot. Elected delegates were apportioned to leadership candidates based on their share of votes in the top part of the ballot, and are bounded to vote for their leadership candidates on the first ballot at the March 6 convention. The small number of independent delegates elected can vote for whomever they chose at the convention.

The meetings were held over the weekend of February 8–9, 2020 in 119 electoral districts (with 5 additional electoral districts in Northern Ontario holding their balloting by mail/email/fax), and in twelve Ontario Young Liberal campus clubs and four Ontario Women's Liberal Clubs. There were a total of 2,084 delegates spots up for election from Ontario's 124 electoral districts (16 each for a total of 1,984), twelve campus clubs (8 each for a total of 96) and four women's clubs (1 each for a total of 4).

The local results were as follow.

CandidateDelegates Earned[59] %
Steven Del Duca 1,17256.24%
Michael Coteau 37017.75%
Kate Graham 273 13.10%
Mitzie Hunter 130 6.24%
Alvin Tedjo 72 3.45%
Brenda Hollingsworth 251.20%
Independent 422.02%
Total 2084100.00%

Result by Electoral Districts/Clubs

TorontoCoteauDel DucaGrahamHollingsworthHunterTedjoIndependentTotal
Total12717240038167400
Toronto & York
Beaches—East York843010016
Davenport455011016
Eglinton—Lawrence354021116
Parkdale—High Park544021016
Spadina—Fort York462012116
Toronto Centre753010016
Toronto—Danforth672001016
Toronto—St. Paul's742021016
University—Rosedale643011116
North York
Don Valley East1141000016
Don Valley North672000116
Don Valley West582001016
Humber River—Black Creek2130010016
Willowdale842011016
York Centre2111011016
York South—Weston0131011016
Scarborough
Scarborough—Agincourt490021016
Scarborough Centre970000016
Scarborough—Guildwood3100120016
Scarborough North380021216
Scarborough—Rouge Park851020016
Scarborough Southwest870010016
Etobicoke
Etobicoke Centre3100021016
Etobicoke—Lakeshore462021116
Etobicoke North1150000016
905CoteauDel DucaGrahamHollingsworthHunterTedjoIndependentTotal
Total100493561292516720
Peel
Brampton Centre1150000016
Brampton East2140000016
Brampton North0160000016
Brampton South0150010016
Brampton West0150010016
Mississauga Centre1150000016
Mississauga East—Cooksville1150000016
Mississauga—Erin Mills1141000016
Mississauga—Lakeshore551013116
Mississauga—Malton0160000016
Mississauga—Streetsville0140001116
York
Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill2112010016
King—Vaughan1150000016
Markham—Stouffville2121010016
Markham—Thornhill1140010016
Markham—Unionville570000416
Newmarket—Aurora2121010016
Richmond Hill5110000016
Thornhill490021016
Vaughan—Woodbridge0160000016
Durham
Ajax4100020016
Durham0111031016
Oshawa355003016
Pickering—Uxbridge3111010016
Whitby264021116
Halton
Burlington159001016
Milton1140010016
Oakville662011016
Oakville North—Burlington3111001016
Hamilton Niagara Brant
Brantford—Brant1131000116
Flamborough—Glanbrook1121010116
Haldimand—Norfolk362020316
Hamilton Centre1104001016
Hamilton East—Stoney Creek0131011016
Hamilton Mountain1141000016
Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas293011016
Niagara Centre392011016
Niagara Falls1130011016
Niagara West450014216
St. Catharines3101011016
Simcoe
Barrie—Innisfil2120110016
Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte3111001016
Simcoe—Grey463001216
Simcoe North646000016
York—Simcoe961000016
Southwestern OntarioCoteauDel DucaGrahamHollingsworthHunterTedjoIndependentTotal
Total3317211221599352
Kitchener-Waterloo
Cambridge1113010016
Guelph1123000016
Kitchener Centre184110116
Kitchener—Conestoga249001016
Kitchener South—Hespeler492001016
Waterloo176001116
Wellington—Halton Hills562110116
London
Elgin—Middlesex—London267001016
London—Fanshawe069010016
London North Centre1213000016
London West0213001016
Windsor-Essex
Chatham-Kent—Leamington168000116
Essex0141001016
Windsor—Tecumseh1141000016
Windsor West1132000016
Rural Southwest
Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound374011016
Dufferin—Caledon1131001016
Huron—Bruce367000016
Lambton—Kent—Middlesex228000416
Oxford174031016
Perth—Wellington163060016
Sarnia—Lambton1112010116
Eastern OntarioCoteauDel DucaGrahamHollingsworthHunterTedjoIndependentTotal
Total81114391814157288
Ottawa
Carleton841102016
Kanata—Carleton4110100016
Nepean2121100016
Orléans2111110016
Ottawa Centre433311116
Ottawa South293100116
Ottawa—Vanier616111016
Ottawa West—Nepean532501016
Eastern Ontario
Bay of Quinte680020016
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell2111101016
Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock405034016
Hastings—Lennox and Addington391021016
Kingston and the Islands1240000016
Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston802311116
Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands
and Rideau Lakes
705010316
Northumberland—Peterborough South3101011016
Peterborough—Kawartha156012116
Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry2131000016
Northern OntarioCoteauDel DucaGrahamHollingsworthHunterTedjoIndependentTotal
Total231412142852224
Northern Ontario
Algoma—Manitoulin4100020016
Kenora—Rainy River062062016
Nickel Belt4120000016
Nipissing2120200016
Parry Sound—Muskoka339000116
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke0102021116
Sault Ste. Marie1121020016
Sudbury1112101016
Thunder Bay—Atikokan574000016
Thunder Bay—Superior North1121101016
Timiskaming—Cochrane2140000016
Timmins080080016
Kiiwetinoong080080016
Mushkegowuk—James Bay0160000016
Student and Women LiberalsCoteauDel DucaGrahamHollingsworthHunterTedjoIndependentTotal
Total68050621100
Young Liberal Clubs
Carleton University16100008
Laurentian University08000008
McMaster University08000008
Queen's University07100008
Ryerson University26000008
University of Guelph06000208
University of Ottawa17000008
University of Toronto (St. George)06101008
University of Toronto (Mississauga)08000008
University of Toronto (Scarborough)06200008
University of Waterloo03005008
Wilfrid Laurier University08000008
Women Liberal Clubs
Willowdale Women's Club10000001
Kanata-Carleton Women's Club00000011
Brantford-Brant Women's Club10000001
Tuesday Luncheon Women's Club01000001

Convention

The delegated leadership convention was held on March 6 and 7, 2020 at the International Centre in Mississauga. In addition to the 2000 plus pleaded delegates elected, approximately 530 ex-officio delegates were eligible to vote at the convention by virtue of party and elected offices they have held, such as sitting and former Liberal MPPs, recent provincial Liberal candidates, sitting federal Liberal MPs, and various party officials and representatives of party bodies.[60] [61]

Steven Del Duca was elected leader on the first ballot with 59% of the ballot cast.

CandidateDelegate ElectedFirst (final) ballot
Steven Del Duca 1,17256.2%1,25858.8%
Michael Coteau 37017.8% 36316.9%
Kate Graham 27313.1% 29913.9%
Mitzie Hunter 1306.2% 1225.7%
Alvin Tedjo 723.4% 743.5%
Brenda Hollingsworth 251.2% 241.1%
Independent 422.0%
Total 20842140
There was one spoiled ballot.[62]

Notes and References

  1. News: Why Kathleen Wynne is still so unpopular. Maclean's. Castaldo. Joe. March 12, 2018.
  2. News: How a historic Liberal collapse and PC upheaval turned Ontario election into a wild horse race. June 7, 2018. National Post. June 12, 2018. Tom. Blackwell.
  3. News: 'Extremely unlikely' Liberals can win election under Wynne, says Greg Sorbara. CBC News. Crawley. Mike. March 12, 2017.
  4. News: Liberals fall short of official party status; Wynne resigns as Liberal leader. The Globe and Mail. Mahoney. Jill. June 7, 2018. June 8, 2018.
  5. News: Liberals begin process to pick interim leader to replace Kathleen Wynne. 2018-06-12. CP24. 2018-11-12. en-CA.
  6. News: Breen . Kerri . Ontario Liberals to vote on interim leader as MPP John Fraser endorsed by caucus . June 14, 2018 . Global News . June 13, 2018 . en.
  7. News: Ottawa-area legislator John Fraser appointed interim Ontario Liberal leader . June 14, 2018 . Globe and Mail . The Canadian Press . June 14, 2018.
  8. News: Weekend delegate vote will define the leadership race. Toronto Star. January 11, 2013.
  9. News: Next Ontario Liberal leader to be chosen by 37,831 members. Benzie. Robert. Toronto Star. January 6, 2020.
  10. News: Jones . Allison . Ontario Liberals vote against changing system for selecting new leader . June 8, 2019 . Global News . Canadian Press . June 8, 2019.
  11. https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/03/04/doug-fords-health-plan-is-to-add-more-for-profit-corporations-liberals-told.html
  12. News: Liberal MPP Des Rosiers leaving politics to assume Massey College post . The Toronto Star. Benzie. Robert. 2019-05-16.
  13. News: Why Steven Del Duca has the Ontario Liberal leadership all but locked up . Crawley . Mike . CBC News . 2020-03-06.
  14. News: 'Anything but Steven' campaign slowly building in Liberal party, leadership candidate says . D'Mello . Colin . CTV News . 2019-12-04 .
  15. News: The Ontario Liberal leadership now favours the old guard . Radwanski . Adam . The Globe and Mail . 2019-06-09.
  16. News: Former cabinet minister Steven Del Duca elected new Ontario Liberal leader . Powers . Lucas . CBC News . 2020-03-07 .
  17. News: 'We lost our way,' Ontario Liberal leader tells party members at election post-mortem The Star. thestar.com. 2018-11-12. en.
  18. Web site: Team Del Duca. Team Del Duca. 2019-04-12.
  19. News: Former cabinet minister Steven Del Duca running for Ontario Liberal leadership. 2019-08-27. 2019-04-03. CBC News.
  20. Web site: Leadership Contest Campaign Return (CR5) - Del Duca, Steven . elections.on.ca . . 27 July 2023.
  21. News: Benzie . Robert . Michael Coteau enters race to lead Ontario Liberals . June 16, 2019 . Hamilton Spectators . Toronto Star . June 16, 2019.
  22. Web site: Leadership Contestants. August 27, 2019. Elections Ontario.
  23. Web site: Leadership Contest Campaign Return (CR5) - Coteau, Michael . elections.on.ca . . 27 July 2023.
  24. Web site: Leadership Contest Campaign Return (CR5) - Graham, Kate (Kathryn) . elections.on.ca . . 27 July 2023.
  25. News: Spears . Tom . Ottawa lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth running for top provincial Liberal job . November 25, 2019 . Ottawa Citizen . November 25, 2019.
  26. Web site: Leadership Contest Campaign Return (CR5) - Hollingsworth, Brenda . elections.on.ca . . 27 July 2023.
  27. Web site: Mitzie Hunter launches bid for Ontario Liberal leadership | The Star. thestar.com.
  28. Web site: Leadership Contest Campaign Return (CR5) - Hunter, Mitzie . elections.on.ca . . 27 July 2023.
  29. News: Former Liberal candidate to jump into party's leadership race The Star. The Toronto Star. 23 May 2019. en. 2019-05-24. Benzie. Robert.
  30. Web site: Biography. Biography. en. 2019-05-24.
  31. Web site: Alvin Tedjo Ontario Liberal candidate for Oakville North-Burlington riding. 2018-01-27. InsideHalton.com. en-CA. 2019-05-24.
  32. 1133025693066043392. AlvinTedjo. I'm ready.#olp #olpldr #olprebuild #onpoli #forourfuture #marchacrossontario #teamtedjo . May 27, 2019.
  33. Web site: Leadership Contest Campaign Return (CR5) - Tedjo, Alvin . elections.on.ca . . 27 July 2023.
  34. News: Conservatives and New Democrats claim there's 'not a riding in Ontario that's beyond' their reach federally in 2019 . June 26, 2018 . The Hill Times . June 24, 2018.
  35. 1179820458092482560. spaikin. Why do I keep hearing rumours that former @OntLiberal MPP @ArthurPottsMAC is going to throw his hat into the provin… . October 3, 2019.
  36. 1189297940512284673. robertbenzie. NEW: Arthur Potts says he will not be a candidate for the @OntLiberal leadership. The former Beaches MPP had hoped… . October 29, 2019.
  37. Web site: Former MPP Arthur Potts bows out of Ontario Liberal leadership before launch event - Toronto | Globalnews.ca.
  38. Web site: Kinga Surma wins Etobicoke Centre for PCs. Tamara. Shephard. 7 June 2018.
  39. Web site: Can anyone lead the Liberals back from oblivion?. TVO. en. 2018-11-12.
  40. Web site: Yvan Baker seeking federal Liberal nomination in Etobicoke Centre. 2018-12-20. Toronto.com. en-CA. 2019-04-12.
  41. News: Liberals face existential crisis after crushing election defeat - The Star. The Toronto Star. 8 June 2018. Rushowy. Kristin. Benzie. Robert. Ferguson. Rob.
  42. News: Liberal MPP Des Rosiers leaving politics to assume Massey College post | The Star. The Toronto Star. 16 May 2019.
  43. News: GTA Grit MPs Holland, Vaughan considering run for Ontario Liberal leadership. 2018-06-18. The Hill Times. 2018-11-12. en-US.
  44. News: Ottawa MPP Marie-France Lalonde seeks federal seat after Leslie retires . May 13, 2019 . National Post . May 13, 2019.
  45. Web site: Michael Lublin mulls bid for Ontario Liberal leader. May 8, 2019. June 11, 2019. May 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190508190453/http://queensparktoday.ca/michael-lublin-mulls-bid-for-ontario-liberal-leader/. dead.
  46. Web site: Yasir Naqvi named CEO of Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Jon. Willing. 2019-01-23. en. 2019-04-12.
  47. Web site: Adam Vaughan Rules Out Run For Ontario Liberal Leadership. 2019-01-09. HuffPost Canada. en. 2019-04-12.
  48. News: Who's going to replace Kathleen Wynne as leader of the Ontario Liberals?. 2018-06-12. Toronto Life. 2018-11-12. en-US.
  49. Web site: Some Liberal Organizers Want Chris Hadfield To Be Ontario's Next Premier. June 6, 2019. HuffPost Canada.
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  51. News: Here's who might replace Kathleen Wynne as Ontario Liberal leader if she's ousted after vote . June 19, 2018 . Global News . June 2, 2018.
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