For Liberal political junkies it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Riding associations across the province are busy over the weekend voting for the next leader of the Ontario Liberal party, and who would represent those votes on the convention floor. Both Thunder Bay-Atikokan and Thunder Bay-Superior North associations voted Saturday. MPP Michael Gravelle said his party has been hit with some challenges over the past year. But the party, and his riding association, are ready for renewal.
“This is the part of the process that perhaps gets people the most excited, leadership renewal is a very exciting time,” Gravelle said at the Italian Cultural Centre as Liberal members cast their vote.
Liberal party members in all 107 provincial ridings will cast a ballot for their leadership choice. The vote is proportional so a candidate then receives a percentage of a riding’s delegates based on those votes. The delegates, 16 from each riding not including certain party members who are automatically chosen, then have to represent that percentage on the first ballot when the Liberal leadership convention starts Jan. 26 in Toronto.
“After that they’re free to do as they wish,” MPP Bill Mauro said at the Davinci where Thunder Bay-Atikikon Liberals cast their ballots. “You would expect that they would follow through and maintain their support for their candidate as long as they’re still around.”
Mauro and Gravelle said they were seeing great turnouts so far.'
“I think it’s an opportunity for people to feel directly involved,” Mauro said.
“It’s a very important day,” Gravelle said.
