Kathleen Wynne Wins Leadership Convention

Kathleen Wynne, Ontario’s first female Premier.

Kathleen Wynne has won the Ontario Liberal Party leadership race to become Ontario’s first female premier.

The 59-year old Don Valley West MPP and school trustee narrowly squeezed past Sandra Pupatello, the former MPP of Winsdor West at the Liberal Party’s leadership convention after three rounds of voting. Tonight, she makes history both as the first woman chosen to lead the Ontario government and Canada’s first gay premier.

A long-time party member and previous minister of transportation and education, Wynne has vowed to bring back the legislature starting February 19th.

According to Wynne, “This leadership race has been about rededicating ourselves to Liberal values. We must be strong and fair. We must raise our hands to embrace every opportunity. We must focus on the bottom line without letting anyone slip through the cracks,” she said. “It’s why we have to balance our budget. It’s why we have to be steely in our fiscal resolve. It’s why we must keep governing.”