Sharan Kaur: Ontario Liberals need new blood, not recycled names

Bonnie Crombie announced she is resigning as leader of the Ontario Liberals. Siobhan Morris has the latest.

Sharan Kaur served as the deputy chief of staff for former Liberal finance minister Bill Morneau and is currently a principal at Navigator.

There is increasing speculation within the Ontario Liberal Party about the timing of its leadership race to replace Bonnie Crombie. Some executive members are advocating for a swift contest, while others are arguing for a longer timeline to attract a more diverse slate of candidates. Opinions differ, with some favouring a sitting member as the new leader, while others insist that fresh perspectives are essential to revive the party from its prolonged state of stagnation.

The Ontario Liberal Party has been adrift in political purgatory for years, and Crombie’s resignation has only highlighted the party’s struggles. Her departure was not only poorly managed but indicative of a deeper issue that has plagued the Liberals for over a decade: a lack of purpose, energy, and inspiration.

If the Ontario Liberals wish to regain relevance, they must stop looking to the past and start defining what it means to be a centrist party in 2025. This isn’t about Doug Ford. Making the premier the focal point of every speech and campaign is a losing strategy. Ford will eventually leave Queen’s Park, and the question remains: will the Ontario Liberal Party still be standing when he does? Given the current lineup, it’s difficult to feel inspired.

Ontarians are not seeking partisan theatrics; they want competence, experience, and vision. They desire leadership that can balance economic prudence with social responsibility, understanding both the cost-of-living crisis and the need to uphold values of fairness and inclusion. At present, the Ontario Liberals are falling short.

For a party that once dominated the political center in Ontario, the absence is glaring. Since their defeat in 2018, the Liberals have acted like a group searching for a time machine, clinging to the same old operators and insiders who have run the party for too long. They confuse experience with entitlement, mistakenly believing they can recreate past successes by relying on outdated strategies. However, Ontario has changed. Politics has evolved. Voters have shifted. The party has not.

As discussions around the upcoming leadership contest intensify, a growing sentiment is clear: new blood is necessary. Recycling familiar names will not suffice; what the Ontario Liberal Party truly requires is fresh leadership to rejuvenate its spirit.

Beyond political insiders

The OLP should prioritize a thoughtful process that attracts new candidates—individuals not tethered to the current political landscape. We need leaders from diverse backgrounds, those who have achieved real accomplishments and can inspire others to unite under their vision. This isn’t a student body election; it’s about choosing someone to govern Canada’s most populous and economically significant province. Treating it as a popularity contest among the same tired faces is a disservice to the electorate.

The Liberals’ challenges have not only been electoral but also existential. For over a decade, the party has lacked ideas that inspire. When was the last time someone felt excited about a Liberal policy or leader? Inspiration matters; it drives people to engage, donate, and support candidates who may lack name recognition but embody hope. Without inspiration, a party risks becoming an empty shell.

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Ontario is crying out for a centrist party willing to address difficult conversations about the economy while acknowledging the social issues reshaping our society—affordability, housing, climate change, healthcare, mental health, and the future of work. These are not merely left-right issues; they are questions of leadership. A revitalized Liberal Party could offer solutions, but only if it stops being afraid of its potential.

The Crombie incident should serve as a wake-up call. If the Liberals choose to remain a sideshow, relying on a small circle of insiders, they should prepare for another decade in political purgatory. Conversely, if they aspire to lead again, they must open their doors wide and welcome those who see politics as a means of service rather than a lifelong career. Ontario does not need another political machine; it needs a movement.

The choice for the Ontario Liberal Party is clear: continue to live off the fumes of the past or ignite something new. The province is waiting, and the voters are watching. The only remaining question is whether the Liberals are ready to wake up.

More from Sharan Kaur:

• The world needs a neutral host for data; Canada can be it
• Poilievre pushing a toxic narrative on Canada’s foreign worker policy
• The world has moved, and Canada must move with it