“This is the biggest convention we’ve held in years,” Ontario Liberal Interim Leader John Fraser said to some of the 1,500 delegates registered to attend the Ontario Liberal Party’s Annual General Meeting held over the March 3-5 weekend in Hamilton.
Fraser, who traces his roots to Hamilton, noted that even his wife is starting to refer to him as ‘the interim’, a nod to the fact that he’s held this position twice for the party in recent memory. And yet, again, he’s decided not to run for the position full-time. Though the convention was not there to choose a new leader, the parameters of how the leader would be chosen in the not-too-distant future, whether or not to endorse a one-member, one-vote structure, or continue with the existing delegate process, was to be decided.
In his ‘Leader's speech’ to the assembled, Fraser spoke of the damage the Ford government had done to the environment and the economy and the dangerous slide towards privatizing health care.
"Doug Ford is intent on dismantling so many of the things Ontario families count on,” Fraser said. “At a time when families are struggling just to make ends meet, Ford is focused on his friends. Hacking up the Greenbelt and giving it away. Making already rich insiders even richer. He broke his promise to Ontarians. And make no mistake; he’s got his sights set on carving up our healthcare system.”
Even though the Liberals suffered heavy losses over the past two provincial elections, Fraser noted that the mood at the Hamilton Convention Centre was anything but downbeat. Evident was the optimism that this is a party in restructuring mode; that it’s proud of its diversity, its attractiveness to youth, and not beholden to “blind ideology,” but rather is a party ready to make “the right choices at the right times.”
One of the breakout sessions at the AGM focused on regional riding associations. Oakville and Oakville North-Burlington are two of 15 riding associations in the Central West (Halton/Peel) region. Both had riding representatives at the convention.
Alison Gohel ran as the Oakville riding candidate in the 2022 provincial election. Asked why she became a Liberal, Gohel responded, “It’s about our values, making sure that we have a strong health care system that’s public, that’s free for everyone, making sure that we have a world-class education system and also for our economy. We have to make sure that no one gets left behind.”
Don McGowan, president of the Oakville North-Burlington Liberal riding association, observed, “We have a lot of people here today. Despite the rumours, the Liberal party is not dead. I think we’ve got a bright future. I think the word ‘renewal’ captures it. I’m seeing the presence of youth, which is important. We’re acknowledging change. I’m hoping that we will go for the one-member, one-vote where we will directly elect our next leader. I think that will afford us the opportunity to engage more Ontarians.”
Later that day, party members voted to adopt a new system for electing their next leader. Under the new leadership election system, each constituency association will be allocated 100 points to be awarded to leadership candidates based on the proportion of support they receive. Members will directly cast their votes for their preferred leadership candidate using a ranked ballot, giving every member a say in the election of a new leader.
Others from Oakville seen at the convention included MP Anita Anand, Ward 1 councillor Sean O’Meara, Andrea Grebenc (former Halton District School Board chair and former Halton Region chair candidate), along with members of the two Oakville riding associations.
“There are a lot of policies impacting cities these days, and I think it’s important to hear the perspective of the leaders of all parties,” said O’Meara. "It’s always good to have strong leadership in the province, and I’m looking forward to hearing what some of the candidates for the (Ontario Liberal) leadership have to say about things like growth, where we fit growth, and how we should include and consult with residents.”