ESPANOLA—The race for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party has officially begun it was announced on the weekend. Liberal party members will cast ranked ballots on Saturday, November 25 and Sunday, November 26. Leadership contender Nathaniel Erskine-Smith dropped into the Royal Canadian Legion hall in Espanola to speak to party faithful just before the official launch was announced.
“I have been a federal politician for the last seven and a half years,” he said, noting that he got involved with the federal Liberals when the party was in third place, the same position of renewal as the Ontario Liberal Party is today facing a majority Conservative government. “Right now, we need a serious generational renewal in this Ontario Liberal Party. It is incredibly important every community has a strong voice in our party, which includes Northern Ontario,” he said of the rebuilding process and why he was visiting a host of Northern communities even before the official race was launched.
“Come do it with me,” he said. “MeetNate.ca, confidence, compassion and integrity are what we need.”
Voting in the leadership race will be available in person for almost all constituency associations, student clubs and women’s clubs, with a small number voting by mail. Ballot counting and the announcement of round-by-round results will take place on Saturday, December 2, with the OLP’s new leader announced the same day. The final date to join the Ontario Liberal Party as a member of a constituency association or women’s club to be eligible to vote in the leadership election is Monday, September 11. The final date to join the Ontario Liberal Party as a member of a student club and be eligible to vote in the leadership election, is Tuesday, September 26.
