Ontario Liberal 2013 leadership convention live coverage: Delegates in Toronto to pick province’s next premier

Canadian Press | Jan 26, 2013 8:30 AM ET | Last Updated: Jan 26, 2013 12:16 PM ET
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THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn     Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention delegates are greeted by hundreds of protesters as they arrive at convention in Toronto on Saturday.

Ontario Liberal Leadership convention Agenda

• 7:00 a.m. Doors Open
• 8:15 a.m. Morning Plenary Arena
  Greg Sorbara, Campaign Chair
  Hon. Bob Rae, MP & Interim Leader Liberal Party of Canada
  Yasir Naqvi, MPP & OLP President
• 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Issuance of Delegate Credentials and First Ballot Voting Coca Cola Court
  for Promoted Alternate Delegates Only
• 9:00 a.m. Candidate Speeches & Demonstrations Arena
  Harinder Takhar
  Gerard Kennedy
  Kathleen Wynne
  Charles Sousa
  Sandra Pupatello
  Eric Hoskins
• 12:10 p.m. Hon. David Peterson, Ontario’s 20th Premier
• 12:15 p.m. Call to Order & Instructions Arena
• 12:35 p.m. Announcement of First Ballot Results Arena
• 12:40 p.m. 2nd Ballot Coca Cola Court

Ontario Liberal leadership hopeful Gerard Kennedy says the party has a responsibility to bring teachers back to the table, acknowledging the hundreds of protesters outside the party’s convention in Toronto.

The protesters early in the day, mostly teachers angry over having contracts imposed on them by the government, are expected to be the tip of the iceberg as Ontario Liberal delegates vote for their next part leader and Ontario’s next premier. Thousands more demonstrators are expected by Saturday afternoon.

Union members from across the province have planned a massive protest outside the Liberal convention at Toronto’s old Maple Leaf Gardens.

The Ontario Federation of Labour said the protest will include students, environmentalists, Aboriginals and other groups angry at the government’s budget cuts and a controversial law used to impose contracts on public school teachers.

“The new premier will see the many faces of their opposition — from now and into the next election,” OFL President Sid Ryan said in a statement.

In his final pitch to delegates Saturday, Kennedy said the Liberals would not only lose an election today to the Progressive Conservatives, they’d come third behind the New Democrats.

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