A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.
A ton of spicy reaction to the “New Leaf Liberals” is pouring in, while some say their names were added without consent. But to start, Bonnie Crombie’s post-campaign debrief is turning to the membership for more input.
First in POLICORNER — A new questionnaire is asking Liberals to weigh in on what went wrong in February.
It’s part of a larger post-campaign tour taking place, which has included a series of regional sit-downs, an open-mic session at last month’s provincial council and a pair of campaign manager check-ins.
Per the debrief team: “We’re taking a hard look at this campaign — what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward together,” they wrote in an email. “But we can’t do that without hearing from you. Whether you knocked on doors, ran a local campaign, donated, or cheered us on from the sidelines, your perspective matters. You saw things we didn’t. You have ideas we need to hear.”
They admit progress was made — but not enough. “Every campaign is a chance to learn — and every voice helps us grow. By sharing your experience, you’re helping us better understand what worked, what didn’t and how we can improve for the future.”
Here’s what they want to know:
— Which of the following had the most positive impact on the campaign? Which of the following had the most negative impact on the campaign? Up for consideration are: the platform, the tone, voter ID and mobilization, overall organization and campaign execution, fundraising, overall campaign strategy, campaign communications and advertising, digital communications strategy, local candidates and Crombie herself.
— Please indicate your level of confidence in the central campaign. “A great deal, somewhat, very little, none at all, neutral.”
— Thinking about the campaign in general, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— Thinking about your local campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
— For each of the following statements about nominations, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— What is the best timeline to nominate candidates before an election? “2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month, 2 weeks, other.”
— For the each of the following statements about the Leader’s tour, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— For the following statements about your support from & engagement with the campaign, please indicate whether you agree or disagree:
— Do you have any general thoughts or suggestions on how the campaign was conducted or could have been improved.
Here’s who’s steering the debrief — and what they’re likely hearing behind closed doors.
Reaction is piling up since our Wednesday scoop on the anti-Crombie push — and the response to it. Meanwhile, at least two Liberals say their name showed up as a signatory without their permission.
To sum: A new group, the “New Leaf Liberals,” is calling for a ground-up overhaul of the party — and new leadership to lead it. They blame Bonnie Crombie for her “inability to undertake the necessary steps to rebuild our party," and say that if she’s unable to lock in two-thirds support in September, she should quit.
Who’s behind it: So far, two of the organizers have gone public. Evan Sambasivam is an ex-council candidate in Don Valley West. Nathaniel Arfin worked for Prime Minister Mark Carney up until April.
— “We’ve seen this story before,” said one senior source. “They’re some armchair quarterbacks who think they know how to do things.” That said, the source conceded some of the pile-on held water. “I’m not denying that. From my vantage point, the campaign team did a disservice to the leader.”
— Another Liberal said they were “so sick of this drama.”
— “I think it was dumb to launch on the day of the Leader’s Dinner. I dunno? Maybe it was strategic,” a third texted.
— “These people can’t win a game of monopoly. They think they can run a province?” another added.
— “I signed, because while I want to run and win a seat provincially, it won’t be under Bonnie Crombie,” one would-be candidate said. “Not because she’ll bar me from running (likely after this post), but because she is a drag on the party.”
A senior source close to the Liberal leader described it as “a well-meaning group of young men [who] have some good ideas everyone will be happy to consider.”
Plenty didn’t take too kindly to it. “I find that quote rather belittling, as though my views matter less because a few young men are the organizers of the campaign,” one Liberal, who described it as “condescending” and “arrogant,” texted. “I’m a mother of a young man and I care deeply about my kids future. The Crombie campaign’s dismissive approach is why she barely won leadership and couldn’t win her seat.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I read this as condescension,” wrote Theresa Lubowitz on X. “I think it’s not a great look for a leader who is looking for support ahead of a review or one that will need to win over some young men to become premier.”
On the record, Sambasivam replied: “We agree — these are good ideas. These ideas have come from people across the province, of all personal and professional backgrounds, new and tenured party members,” he said. “A key goal for our group is to have gender parity on our leadership team. Rather than just a group of young men, we aspire to bring voices to the table from across the spectrum that feel left out of the current iteration of our party. Our movement depends on raising the voices of those who feel the most alienated, which we know are not just young men.
The New Leafs have hit their 100-signature milestone — but it’s not without controversy.
At least two Liberals say they were listed without ever signing on. One of them, Andrew Perez, learned his name was on the list Wednesday night. He got in touch with organizers, who later scrubbed it. (According to an email, Perez reached out at 7:56 p.m. By 8:46 p.m., his name was removed).
“I don’t support the initiative,” he said in an interview, later calling it out on X as a “divisive and poorly executed attempt to trigger an unnecessary leadership race.”
Perez says he’s sticking with Crombie. “While the result wasn’t what we hoped for — and she used those very words in her speech, we did measurably increase the popular vote and we regained status,” he added. I’m not convinced that a leadership change is going to change a whole lot for our party.”
A second Liberal says organizers reached out to verify their support, even though they hadn’t signed in the first place. A third source says Sachin Aggarwal, Crombie’s fundraising chair, was listed, until his name was pulled.
“Our website was made public almost two weeks before our planned launch, so we quickly implemented a review process, a posting delay, a confirmation email, and a two step opt-in for signatories we suspected might not have been authentic,” Arfin said. “The legitimacy of the data being presented matters, and we want to operate in an open and honest way, while preserving the privacy of our signatories. We will continue to improve our data practices as we learn.”
Still, it’s not all bad news for the Liberal leader. The party pulled in $500,000 at Wednesday’s big-ticket dinner in Toronto, which they say is a sign of “growing momentum and grassroots support.”
Crowd size and energy level: A source in the room counted close to 90 ten-seat tables. The room wasn’t exactly quiet, a second person noted, particularly with our scoop landing mid-dinner. Oops! A third said privately, those around Crombie kept circling back to the magic number — 50+1 — as the threshold for the leadership vote. “Bonnie’s not asking for people’s support. She’s assuming people’s support,” they added.
“When she stepped up to lead our provincial party, she brought more than just energy — though she’s got plenty of that,” said ex-provincial candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen, who turned an earlier loss into a federal win — by a hair — in Milton. “People are ready. People are waiting for change, and they’re looking to Bonnie… We believe in her. We believe in this team.”
Crombie, meanwhile, had more to say. A few pull quotes from the speech:
— “... There’s one more person I want to thank: Doug Ford. Doug, thank you for calling a cynical, snap election designed to end the Ontario Liberal Party, once and for all. Doug wanted to play politics. He was seeking a mega-majority, and he timed the election for maximum advantage. Doug wanted to destroy what you have worked so hard to build. But Doug, you failed.”
— “Let’s be clear, this election was called at a time of maximum advantage for Doug’s party. Our fundraising was rising, our vote share was growing, and Doug was determined to destroy us and stop our momentum… We didn’t just survive — we emerged with something we haven’t had in a long time: a chance to build anew.”
— “... It was a start. I lost my seat. That hurt. It still stings. But I am committed to winning a seat and continuing to build this party. The pundits wonder why. The pundits think I should tuck my tail between my legs and drive my make-believe Maserati to my fictitious home in the Hamptons. Well, to hell with the pundits.”
— “Life isn’t a straight line. It’s steps forward, steps back, steps sideways. No one knows that more than me. There are those who mischaracterize me. They think I’ve never faced adversity. They couldn’t be more wrong.”
— “To everyone counting on us: We are building a new, modern Ontario Liberal Party. We will earn your trust. We will deliver a brighter future. One conversation, one riding, one step at a time. We have a job to do. I have a job to do. Tonight isn’t just a fundraiser, it is a moment of commitment.”
Thank you for reading POLICORNER. RSVP’d to Ford Fest? Are you an ex-candidate joining the New Leaf Liberals? Did your name make the list by mistake? Were you at Wednesday’s dinner? I want to hear from you — and I’ll keep you anonymous. We’re back to regular programming next week.