Ontario Green Party Leader considers leading Liberal Party

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner says he’s not ruling out running for the leadership of Ontario’s Liberal Party.

A group of liberals penned an open letter Sunday asking him to join their party and run for the top job. Writing, “our party needs to rediscover a politics of purpose and principle. We need to reach out to a new generation of voters. We need to open up to new people and new ideas and that’s why we’re turning to you.”

“The 2022 election sent an absolute chill down my spine,” reflecting on the Ford government’s massive win in the last election, Kate Graham, who ran for Liberal leader in 2020 and is one of the 40 liberals to sign the letter, says the party needs to offer something new in a leader.

Graham thinks Schreiner will attract energy and new voters, “he’s had a steadfast commitment on issues that I think are really important to Ontario right now.”

At least four liberals are considering running for the job, including MP Nate Erskine-Smith who agrees the party needs renewal, but not through Schreiner.

“We don’t need gimmicks, open letters, and Hail Marys to find it. That kind of change has to come from within,” Erskine-Smith said.

Former Queen’s Park correspondent Keith Leslie says it makes the liberals look desperate, and questions if it’s the right strategy, “…is he a big enough star really outside the political circles that he can lead the liberals back from the political wilderness into official party status and even into power? I mean that seems like a big stretch.”

Liberal house leader John Fraser dismisses the notion this letter looks bad on the party, “40 people, mostly from a region of the province, southwest, expressed an opinion. That’s okay, that’s what democracy’s all about.”

Despite saying in the past he never wanted to lead anything but the greens, Schreiner says he is now considering a run because the letter moved him.

“The fact that a number of people were willing to go out on a limb in an incredibly unique way,” Schreiner said.

Schreiner is asking for time to think and consult with Ontarians before making a decision. The rules and timeline for the leadership race will be ironed out at the liberals’ annual general meeting here in Hamilton in March.