July 16, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie has publicly acknowledged the mistakes made during the party’s February 27, 2025, provincial election campaign. In a four-minute video released to party members, Crombie admitted, “We made some mistakes, but now we’re going to fix them.” The timing of the video is significant, as it comes just weeks before a crucial leadership review vote scheduled for September 12 to 14 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto.
In the video, Crombie specifically addressed some of the key missteps from the campaign. She said that the party could have opened candidate nominations earlier, which would have allowed candidates more time for local fundraising and door-to-door outreach. Crombie herself ran in Mississauga East–Cooksville but was defeated by Conservative candidate Silvia Gualtieri. She also acknowledged that the party could have done a better job supporting rural and northern communities, where engagement and visibility were lacking. As part of the plan moving forward, Crombie announced that new candidate recruitment would begin in various ridings starting in January 2026. In addition, dedicated staff and resources will be assigned to strengthen the party’s presence in rural and northern Ontario.
Crombie emphasized that the party is committed to learning from this campaign and approaching the next one with a renewed strategy. She said they will strengthen their existing advantages while addressing weaknesses head-on. She also highlighted the importance of open dialogue within the campaign team to evaluate what went well and what did not. This, she said, is essential to building a more effective and responsive organization.
Despite the shortcomings, Crombie also pointed to several positive developments from the recent election. The Ontario Liberals captured 30% of the vote share, compared to 43% for the Progressive Conservatives and 18.5% for the NDP. The party won five new seats and managed to increase its vote share in 102 out of 124 ridings. They also came in second place in 77 ridings across the province. Perhaps most significantly, the party regained official party status at Queen’s Park, a milestone that restores access to more resources for policy development, research, and communication — benefits the party had lost in 2018.
However, the upcoming leadership review vote is not without controversy. While the party’s caucus and executive committee have offered their unanimous support for Crombie, some dissent remains within party ranks. A small group known as the New Leaf Liberals, made up mostly of supporters of Nate Erskine-Smith — who was the runner-up in the 2023 leadership race — has stated that Crombie should resign if she fails to secure at least 66% support in the leadership vote. So far, only 242 individuals have signed their petition, many providing only their first names.
In response, Crombie expressed confidence that she will surpass the 50% threshold required to pass the leadership review under the Ontario Liberal Party constitution. She reiterated her commitment to leading the party forward and building on the lessons learned from this year’s campaign.
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