Toronto MPP Marit Stiles to run for Ontario NDP leader
CBC
Toronto MPP Marit Stiles will be the first contender to announce a bid to lead Ontario's New Democrats after the party's disappointing showing in the June provincial election, her office confirmed Thursday.
Stiles, who represents the Toronto riding of Davenport and serves as the NDP's education critic, is set to announce her leadership candidacy at an afternoon appearance. The news was first reported by the Toronto Star.
The Newfoundland-born Stiles was first elected as an MPP in 2018 when she defeated a Liberal incumbent. Before she secured a seat at Queen's Park, Stiles was a Toronto public school board trustee and also spent two years as president of the federal NDP.
The New Democrats have been without a permanent leader since Andrea Horwath stepped down on June 2, when the party lost seven of the 38 seats it held at the dissolution of parliament. It was a dispiriting result for the NDP, which had tried to position itself as the only party that could beat the Progressive Conservatives.
Horwath had held the top post since 2009, leading the New Democrats into four elections. Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns was appointed as interim leader in late June.
Speaking to CBC Radio's Metro Morning the day after the election, Stiles said it is clear the NDP needs to change its approach to winning over voters if it hopes to form government in the future. She said the party failed to inspire enough Ontarians to topple the PCs.
"We've got a big job ahead of us," she said of the NDP's long-term outlook.
"We need somebody who can bring us all together. We're going to need somebody who connects, I think, with real people, but also somebody who's smart enough to pull together some really good policy."
LISTEN | Stiles discusses the NDP's future after the June 2 election:
While Stiles will be the first candidate to announce a leadership bid, fellow caucus members Wayne Gates and Laura-Mae Lindo have previously hinted they may also run to lead Ontario's Official Opposition.
According to the party's rules, potential candidates have until Dec. 2 to join the contest. The new leader will be decided by ranked ballots, with a winner to be announced on March 2, 2023.
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