Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Ontario Liberals to pick leader in January

TORONTO -- The Ontario Liberal party has set a date in late January to elect a new leader who will take the reins from outgoing Premier Dalton McGuinty and eventually recall the provincial legislature.

McGuinty, who shocked the public with his surprise resignation last Monday, has said his successor must decide when to bring back the legislature, which he prorogued as he stepped down.

The Liberal party's executive council decided Sunday on a Jan. 25, 2013, leadership convention date.

The opposition parties -- who have been infuriated with the prorogation -- were quick to argue the date created too long a wait for a new legislative session. The Progressive Conservatives and NDP continued to call on McGuinty to reverse his decision to pull the plug on political proceedings. They say Queen's Park was prorogued so the government could avoid scrutiny over its decision to cancel two power stations.

NDP house leader Gilles Bisson said in a release that waiting until early next year to bring the legislature back is simply not in the best interests of Ontarians.

"People want MPPs back to work -- this year not next. The McGuinty Liberals can't shut down the Legislature until 2013," Bisson said.

One high-profile potential leadership candidate bowed out of the contest Sunday.

Ontario Liberal party president Yasir Naqvi said it was a "very personal decision" not to run for the party leadership.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 22, 2012 A8

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