Wynne's concession 'difficult' but 'honourable,' local Liberal candidates say
Party's incumbents say they're not giving up on winning their ridings
A bombshell admission Saturday from Kathleen Wynne that the Ontario Liberals would not form the province's next government had the party's incumbents in Ottawa trying to keep a united front.
Even though Wynne conceded yesterday she would not be Ontario's premier after Thursday's vote, she still urged people to vote for Liberal candidates and stop the Progressive Conservatives or the NDP from forming a majority government.
The announcement came as a surprise to many of the party's local candidates, many of whom said they learned about her comments from news reports and social media.
"It is difficult to hear that," said Ottawa–Centre candidate Yasir Naqvi, who heard about the comments on a conference call only a short time before Wynne went public.
Naqvi, who has represented the riding since 2007 and most recently served as the province's attorney general, called her remarks courageous.
"She's always been somebody who's very honest and a woman of integrity. She's demonstrated today that she speaks directly to the people," he said.
"I mean, it must have been a very difficult for her to talk about [how] there will be a new government on June 7."
Ottawa West–Nepean candidate Bob Chiarelli, who has been involved in provincial politics off and on since the 1980s, said he was caught off guard by the announcement.
There are serious decisions that voters in Ontario have to make.- Bob Chiarelli
"It wasn't expected," he said, adding he thought it was responsible and practical.
"It became clear — and she conceded [that] — that she cannot win the election. And given that reality, there are serious decisions that voters in Ontario have to make."
The latest polls have the NDP and the Progressive Conservatives neck-and-neck, with the Liberals floundering.
Still door knocking
Marie-France Lalonde, the party's candidate in Ottawa–Orleans and a former minister in Wynne's government, said the announcement won't dissuade her from door knocking.
"I think it's very honourable that [Wynne] chose to make that decision [to concede]," she said.
"It's for protecting Ontarians. It's to ensure Doug Ford doesn't [form] a majority government," she said.
I knew there was a chance that I would end up in the opposition because, after 15 years, it's normal that there'd be a changing of the guard.- Nathalie Des Rosiers
Lalonde said she still hoped to return to Queen's Park after Thursday, even though her chances of remaining in cabinet are all but quashed.
Ottawa–Vanier candidate Nathalie Des Rosiers, another former cabinet member, said she knew she may not be part of the ruling party for long.
"I knew there was a chance that I would end up in the opposition because, after 15 years, it's normal that there'd be a changing of the guard and I was prepared for that," she said.
Des Rosiers said she still believes her chances are strong in the riding, which elected her in a by-election only two years ago.
Voters weigh in
Ottawa–Orleans voter Zulfi Sadeque applauded Wynne's "surprising" announcement, saying he still plans to vote Lalonde.
"It's important to give a message to the people who are still kind of vacillating that, sure, after 15 years you might want a change — but make sure you want the change that you really need," Sadeque said.
Dan Benoit also lives in the riding, and said he was already leaning toward voting for Cameron Montgomery, the PC candidate.
"But you know it's still not too late for me to be swayed one way or the other as well," Benoit said — although he added he would only consider switching his vote to the NDP.