Ontario Liberals convention

Ontario’s Liberals are using an old-fashioned delegated-convention this weekend to pick a new leader and the
province’s next premier.

Political observers say the fact the Liberals are not using the one-member one-vote system – now commonly used by most parties –
makes it harder to predict the outcome of the vote.

Sandra Pupatello and Kathleen Wynne have the most committed first-ballot support heading into the convention.

However, political science professor Henry Jacek of McMaster University says there could be a so-called compromise candidate –
like Dalton McGuinty turned out to be in 1996.

Jacek predicts that if there’s no early winner – former labour minister Charles Sousa would be the most likely come-from-behind
candidate to emerge as the new Liberal leader.

Bryan Evans of Ryerson University says the fact it’s a delegated convention means it could take four or five ballots to pick the new
premier.

The first-ballot results are expected early Saturday afternoon, and voting will continue at the old Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto
until a new Liberal leader is selected.