Matthews, Sandals join Liberal exodus
Cabinet ministers won’t run in 2018, which might put once-safe seats up for grabs
Premier Kathleen Wynne will be running for re-election next June 7 without two more cabinet ministers, including her confidant and Deputy premier Deb Matthews of London. Matthews and Treasury Board president Liz Sandals, a former education minister, announced Friday they will leave elected office when the campaign begins.
Both maintained they have confidence in Wynne, who is trailing the Progressive Conservatives in most polls and facing criticism from segments of the business community for raising the minimum wage to $14 next January and $15 in 2019.
“I am confident . . . the people of Ontario will give her and the team the mandate to continue to serve,” Matthews, 63, said in a Twitter statement, noting she will remain cochairperson of the Liberal re-election campaign.
“Despite the progress to date, there is much more to do,” added Matthews, the MPP for London North Centre since 2003 and minister of advanced education and skills development.
Sandals, 69, said she made “the difficult decision to retire” after a summer of discussion with her husband and children. She has been in elected politics for 30 years, first as a school trustee and later as an MPP.
“This was a challenging decision to make because, while I’m ready to become a full-time grandmother, I’ve never had more faith in Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario Liberal Party.”
Sandals and Matthews follow Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid, who revealed last month he won’t run for re-election. Wynne also lost environment minister Glen Murray during the summer, as he quit cabinet and his Toronto Centre seat to head the Pembina Institute.
The pending retirements have strategic implications for the Liberals, in power at Queen’s Park since 2003.
Matthews is the lone Liberal MPP in London — once a party stronghold — where the New Democrats have gained two ridings in recent years. Progressive Conservatives hold the seats surrounding London.
Sandals represents Guelph, eyed by Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, who is hoping for a breakthrough in the spring vote.