Marit Stiles officially confirmed as Ontario NDP leader by majority vote
Marit Stiles officially became the new leader of the Ontario NDP on Saturday after a majority of party members voted in favour of the lone candidate.
The party confirmed Stiles through a leadership vote at an event in downtown Toronto, making her the leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"Today we start the countdown to the end of Doug Ford's disastrous government and the beginning of a bright new future for Ontario," Stiles said of the sitting premier in a speech to party supporters following the official declaration of her position at the party helm.
Stiles, who has been a New Democrat member of provincial parliament since 2018, was the only person to run for the leadership. She represents the Toronto riding of Davenport, served for years as the party's education critic, and has previously been a school trustee and president of the federal NDP.
She has said her focus after being elected leader will be on defeating Ford and his Progressive Conservative government in the next provincial election, which is expected to take place in 2026.
Ford congratulated Stiles for becoming leader on Twitter, stating he's "looking forward to working with her and all of Team Ontario as we build our future."
But an Ontario PC Party statement released following Stiles' confirmation ridiculed her as "Leader of the Party of No."
"With Marit Stiles being confirmed as the leader of the NDP, Ontario is getting more of the same," the statement reads.
"While our PC team will continue to move forward with our ambitious plan to get it done, Marit Stiles will continue to say no every step of the way."
Longtime New Democrat Peter Tabuns had served as interim leader since former leader Andrea Horwath announced her resignation on provincial election night last June.
Stiles thanked Tabuns for stepping up to lead the party and ensuring "there would be no free pass for Conservatives."
Horwath, who was elected mayor of Hamilton in October, had led the NDP since 2009 and saw it rise from third party to official Opposition status in 2018, though the party's seat count decreased in this year's election.
"We are starting on a strong foundation, and we have our former leader Andrea Horwath to thank for that," said Stiles.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Stiles' experience as a school board trustee and education critic have shown she can stand up to, and ultimately defeat, Ford's PC government.
"Marit is the real deal," Singh said. "She is a force for change and she is a leader who will run for Premier of this province and lift us all up."
Stiles was joined on stage at the leadership announcement by Ontario Federation of Labour President Patty Coates, in addition to labour leaders from across the country.
She emphasized that unions and workers are essential to the NDP, as well as the need to build on labour victories in the past year. She specifically cited union pressure that ultimately led the government to repeal a bill that imposed a contract on some of the province's education workers, banned their right to strike and preemptively invoked the notwithstanding clause to shield it from constitutional challenges.
"I want them to expect better, everybody, including unionized workers in this province. I want them to expect more," said Stiles.
"I want them to know that they deserve a government who's not afraid to talk about labour issues, who's not just going to put on a hard hat and safety vest when it's election time and make a lot of promises."
When asked what Stiles had to say to criticism that an NDP majority in the next election was unrealistic, she responded, "They haven't met me yet."
"We're going to win this election, I feel absolutely confident in that and that's because I know how to win."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
As storms moves across Texas, 1 child dies after being swept away in floodwaters
A child in Texas died Sunday after being swept away in floodwaters as storms swept across the state.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.