CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island's Liberal Party announced its new leader over the weekend. Dan Kutcher, former one-term mayor of Summerside, P.E.I., was acclaimed at a party leadership convention in Charlottetown. There were no other candidates. The longtime Liberal political advisor does not have a seat in the provincial legislature, where his party is the official Opposition with four representatives. Kutcher said Monday he plans to run to represent an electoral district that includes part of Summerside in the next general election, scheduled for October 2027. Meanwhile, Kutcher said he'll continue to travel across the province and hear from Islanders directly about what they want from their provincial government. "I'm really focused on engaging with Islanders across the province, listening and building a strong team and a strong vision and path for the future of this province," he told The Canadian Press. Kutcher replaces former Liberal leader Robert Mitchell, who stepped down in July after failing twice to win a seat in the legislature in byelections in 2025 and 2026. The former lawyer is taking the reigns of a party that is looking to rebuild after being out of power for seven years. The ruling Progressive Conservatives ended more than two decades of Liberal government in the 2019 provincial election, reducing the Grits to six seats. The Liberals were reduced to a third party behind the Greens at the time, before they were able to regain official Opposition status in the 2023 election. Both the Liberals and the Greens now have four seats apiece, far below the 18-seat majority held by the Progressive Conservatives. But Kutcher says the current Tory government under Premier Rob Lantz is unsure of its direction. "Our province feels lost, almost drifting at sea, always reacting with no plan," Kutcher said during a victory speech Sunday. "Well-intentioned people just steering the boat in circles." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2026. — By Eli Ridder in Fredericton. The Canadian Press
