Ontario Greens urge Liberals trying to steal their leader to 'join us'
A group of Ontario Greens have put together a counteroffer for Liberals trying to poach their leader.
“Join us,” a letter released Thursday says.
In their search for a new leader, 40 members of the Ontario Liberal Party publicly reached out to Schreiner to run.
In a statement, the group cites Schreiner’s “strong principle-based approach” and ability to “motivate activists” as some of the reasons why he would make a good candidate for leader.
“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 to embrace the kind of energy and enthusiasm that is driving grassroots activism and engagement across the province,” the Liberal letter reads.
“And that’s why we’re turning to you.”
In response, 75 Green Party members wrote their own tongue-and-cheek letter in which they agree that Schreiner “speaks to the issues Ontarians are facing.”
“You want Mike to lead you, and we don’t blame you,” it reads.
“We agree he’s the leader Ontario needs. And the best part is you can have Mike Schreiner as your leader. Right now. It’s so easy: Join us.”
Among those that signed the leader are constituency association executives as well as Green Party candidates.
“We know we’re a small party, but we’re growing and we’d love for you to grow with us.”
The Ontario Liberals are holding their annual general meeting in early March, where they are set to launch consultations on the leadership election process. They have been without a permanent leader since the party’s devastating loss in 2018.
Veteran MPP for Ottawa South John Fraser has taken the helms as interim leader until a successor has been chosen.
Schreiner, for his part, after spending weeks combatting rumours he would run for the opposing party, said earlier this week that he is considering the proposal.
He asked people to give him “time to think about the arguments.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.