Nate Erskine-Smith tells us why Bonnie Crombie needs to go

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Bonnie Crombie is set to face a leadership review at the Ontario Liberal Party’s annual general meeting in September — and one former rival has some well-publicized thoughts about what should happen.

In a Substack post last week, Nate Erskine-Smith — a Toronto MP who finished second in the 2023 leadership race — said Crombie should resign if she doesn’t receive at least two-thirds of support from Liberal delegates.

“We need change,” Erskine-Smith wrote, adding “that renewal starts at the top.”

Not surprisingly, his comments triggered some headlines (and some pushback from Ontario MPPs).

A guest on tonight’s ‘Closer Look’ podcast, Erskine-Smith insisted he is speaking out for the good of the party, not himself. He was also adamant that he hasn’t made a decision on whether he would run in another leadership race, should Crombie not survive the September review.

“We saw at the federal level the importance of changing leaders in a particular moment,” he said. “And anyone looking at the last provincial campaign honestly would say we didn’t do as well as we could or should have.”

The Liberals did increase their seat count in the last election (14) and regained official status in the Legislature, but Crombie failed to win the riding of Mississauga East Cooksville.

“We need a new leader who is going to energize people, motivate people, inspire people to get involved in our politics — to articulate a set of ideas and values that is going to inspire people to get involved in our politics — and to really prosecute a case for change,” Erskine-Smith said.

Would he run again?

“Maybe,” he replied. “Of course I have an interest. I hope there are others too.”

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