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The petition.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.
SCOOP — They go by “New Leaf Liberals,” and they’re gearing up to challenge Bonnie Crombie’s leadership in the fall.
The group, described as a “grassroots movement,” is planning to mount a push to defeat the Liberal leader at the party’s annual general meeting in September. While organizers wouldn’t disclose the full strategy yet (“stay tuned,” we’re told), the group launched an online petition calling for “renewal” this morning.
Aiming to grow the rank-and-file, “win back” trust, expand the candidate and volunteer base and modernize campaign infrastructure, the group is calling for a ground-up overhaul — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party.”
“We believe that there needs to be some accountability from Bonnie Crombie and her team,” the organizers wrote in a document reviewed by this reporter.
What they want: The group is asking Crombie to quit if she is unable to clinch a two-thirds majority at the convention — and to pledge to freeze the delegate list and leave any vacancies as-is.
“Since the leadership election, there has been a schism in the party,” said one organizer behind the push, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “There was Team Bonnie and Team Anyone But Crombie. The first task of a leader who wins only on the fourth ballot is to unite that schism — and it never happened. There was a proud rebuke of progressive politics and people until the last few days of the election.”
Here’s the catch: The organizer warned that the group isn’t fronting for — or actively reaching out to — any would-be candidate. “In fact, we don’t necessarily agree on who the next candidate should be,” they explained. “It’s about the membership. We know that Bonnie will seek to line up executives, organizers and whatever big name she can get. We’re trying to demonstrate that the will of the party is strong — and the organic, middle ground, would like to see change.”
So, why a leadership contest? The group’s organizers say, on several fronts, the party bungled — and they lay the blame at Crombie’s feet.
They pointed to concerns about late nominations, Crombie’s last-minute seat pick and messaging that failed to speak to the economy and sovereignty as a result of a top-down approach that shut out broader input.
It’s what Crombie has been hearing loud and clear from members at regional meetings. At the East Region check-in, for example, members spoke about the inability to pivot in messaging. One candidate voiced frustration over the party’s ground-game infrastructure. Another said she thought Crombie blew the last stretch of the winter campaign.
Much of this was covered in the party’s last post-mortem. That report highlighted a sloppy vetting process, poor voter data and a split between old-school and modern campaign philosophies.
“It’s been long documented that the party needs to refocus our resources towards building up PLAs and campaigns that can win at the local level,” the group said. “Most of the lessons we got from the [previous] debrief were never actioned… Beyond that, the party under Crombie has demonstrated the same reliance on professional consultants. It has remained an insider’s party, ignoring both the party members and principles of good governance.”
“These problems pre-dated her — and they will need to be solved when she goes. She signed up to solve them and she didn’t,” the organizer added. “That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
How it’ll be fixed: The group is pushing for double the funding for riding associations, more field organizers and a larger provincial council — with an emphasis on “newer voices in party leadership.” They want to see modernized and centralized campaign infrastructure, help for local candidates in next year’s municipal races and internal democratization. The plan: wrap up nominations by December 2027, hold a full policy convention next year and “implement transparent processes that engage all members in party decision-making.”
50+1 v. 66: The organizer said an absolute majority would give the Liberal leader “a clear mandate.” “If we’re fighting for 50+1 of our own voters, we might throw in the towel for the next election. Your party should be behind you when you’re not running against anyone else.” They pointed out that Carney, a relative unknown before the federal leadership race, pulled 85 per cent support against two ex-cabinet ministers.
Privately, Crombie’s team isn’t aiming that high. “50+1 is the standard,” said one source in May. “She got thrown into an election [a year early] and achieved what she set out to do.
The organizer pushed back, saying 66 per cent without an opponent “should be quite easy.”
Signatures aside, is the group planning to actively organize against Crombie? They say yes, but they’re staying tight-lipped on how. The organizers say they’re hoping to start “an honest conversation” with card-carrying Liberals.
“The will is there,” the one organizer added. “Virtually every conversation we’ve had ranges from people who outright want her gone — or perhaps always did — to those who supported her leadership campaign but now feel she took on a job she couldn’t do. It’s just a matter of simple organizing.”
Some are quietly skeptical about who’s really behind the group. “This is either Team Nate [Erskine-Smith] or very much made to look like it,” one Liberal texted. “I think it’s the usual suspects. Not a single surprise,” a second added.
Meanwhile, Crombie’s inner circle isn’t sweating the New Leafs — yet. “The constitution is clear. The threshold is 50+1. They are not in a position to arbitrarily decide what the threshold is,” one senior source said. “She’s the leader and she has the prerogative of filling any of the positions that she feels is appropriate,” they noted, when asked about the call to freeze the delegate list.
“A well-meaning group of young men have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider,” said a second senior Liberal close to Crombie.
“I don’t think it’s a big threat,” a third source added.
The Liberal leader’s summer tour isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Expect to see Crombie at more regional meetings and riding association check-ins, while working the grill-and-greet circuit all season long.
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. An ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? A would-be leadership candidate quietly cheering on? Are you backing Bonnie in this? I want your take. I’ll keep you anonymous. Your favourite newsletter is back on Friday with all the reaction, the spin and the snark.