Ontario’s outgoing Liberals gather for final cabinet meeting

TORONTO — Ontario’s outgoing Liberals, who were decimated in last week’s election, held their final cabinet meeting Wednesday with an eye to rebuilding the party that governed the province for the last 15 years.

The majority of Liberal ministers lost their seats as the Progressive Conservatives secured a majority, and many acknowledged their party now faces real challenges.

Economic Development Minister Steven Del Duca, who was defeated in his suburban riding north of Toronto, said the desire for change was “visceral” while campaigning.

“I think the party needs to take a bit of a step back,” he said. “Do all of the analysis that’s required when you face this kind of result ... we’ve done this before and we’ve managed to rise again. And we will, but it will take time.”

In the short term, the party is working on choosing an interim leader after Kathleen Wynne resigned on election night.

Party president Brian Johns has said an interim leader will be selected within the coming days by a vote of the caucus, the presidents of riding associations without an elected Liberal legislator and executive members. Once the vote is called, those eligible have 24 hours to make their choice, with a winner decided by a simple plurality of ballots cast.

Longtime Liberal legislator Michael Gravelle, one of the seven Liberals to be elected, said the interim leader will likely be someone from within the party’s elected ranks.

He also acknowledged the coming months will be tough.

“You could feel a difference at the doors,” he said of the campaign. “It was apparent to me that we were in a very competitive race from the very beginning ... It will be a real challenge.”

Compounding the issue is the fact that the Liberals are now one seat short of qualifying for official party status, which means they have access to fewer resources and less speaking time in the legislature.

Gravelle said the party will need to rely on the basic resources provided to them as legislators in the coming days to represent their constituents and fulfil critic duties in opposition.

Ontario transitions over to a Progressive Conservative government on June 29.