Some political shockwave’s following voting in the 2022 Ontario election.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath and Liberal leader Steven Del Duca have both announced intentions to step down as leader.
Horwath, with the NDP finishing second in the election, says the party is on the right track but it’s time for change.
“My commitment to you is never going to waver and I am going to keep working to earn your confidence each and every day. I’m going to keep doing that. But tonight it’s time to pass the torch, to pass the baton, to handoff the leadership of the NDP.”
Del Duca failed to win his riding and the Liberals don’t have official party status as of now.
“I informed our party president of my decision to step down from the leadership of our party and I have asked him to meet with the executive to set a leadership contest for as soon as is reasonable. I am, again, so very proud of the work that we did.”
Del Duca says, “Our Ontario Liberal family has come so very far, so fast, and during a pandemic no less. You think about this for just a moment, we had a diverse and inclusive roster of candidates, with for the first time in ever in our parties history, 50% of our candidates being female.”
He notes many of them were younger candidates determined to shape Ontario’s future.
Del Duca was gracious in defeat.
“I want to congratulate Premier Ford and I hope he leads our province well. Now I say that and I mean that sincerely because above all else I am a dad (of two) and I want my daughters to grow up in a province, an incredible Ontario, that offers them even more opportunity than I had growing up here.”
Andrea Horwath and the NDP is the official opposition and she says, “Together my friends we have built a party that is stronger and more ready to govern than ever before.”
Horwath still believes in her parties platform.
“Just know that we will continue to be the powerful champions people need us to be in order to fight Doug Ford’s cuts.”