Bonnie Crombie pitches her vision for Ontario, while distancing herself from Trudeau
Former Liberal cabinet minister says focusing on the carbon tax can distract from real issues
A year into her leadership, the head of the Ontario Liberal Party, Bonnie Crombie, is starting to pitch her vision for the province — while working to distance herself from her beleaguered counterpart in Ottawa.
As speculation of an early election call swirls through the halls of Queen's Park, the former mayor of Mississauga has been out making major promises to Ontarians.
In recent months, she's become a more consistent presence outside the doors of the provincial legislature, facing the daily barrage of questions from reporters alongside other opposition leaders and MPPs.
On social media, Crombie is calling herself a "new type" and "different kind" of Liberal, describing herself as a centrist. At her first leaders dinner Tuesday — which raised $1.65 million for the party — she drew a clear line between herself and Justin Trudeau.
"I'm not here to tell the Prime Minister how to do his job, but I promise you I will tell him when I think he's wrong. Like on the carbon tax, he's wrong," Crombie told the crowd at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
"I think it's important for all Liberals in Ontario to hear that it's OK for us to be different."
Crombie has made significant announcements in recent weeks.
On Nov. 12, she announced her government would cut the income tax rate for middle class families. And on Dec. 2 she promised the Liberals would find everyone in the province a family doctor in four years — telling Ontarians not to re-elect her if she didn't.
The party has more to come on its plans regarding public safety, housing and affordability, according to a member of the Liberal campaign team not authorized to speak publicly about strategy, but health care is the main issue they plan to fight the election on.
Opposing carbon tax part of politics: former cabinet minister says
Crombie's attempt to distance herself from one of Ottawa's most frequently criticized policies comes after Doug Ford and his party have worked tirelessly to do the opposite.
"As we say, Bonnie Crombie is the queen of the carbon tax," Premier Doug Ford said in late October, when announcing his government would be providing everyone with $200 cheques. During question period on Thursday, conservative MPPs said the phrase "Trudeau-Crombie carbon tax" 15 times.
"I think there's a feeling that the price of admission to being taken seriously in Canadian politics these days is opposing the carbon tax," said John Milloy, a former Liberal cabinet minister who served as MPP for Kitchener-Centre from 2003 to 2014 who now directs the Centre for Public Ethics at Martin Luther University College.
While Milloy said he doesn't necessarily agree with the strategy, it seems to be accepted wisdom that a candidate has to say they won't impose a carbon tax if they're elected.
"The problem with the carbon tax being this price of admission is that becomes the story," he said.
"The story is that she's distanced herself from the Prime Minister. That's not the message that the leader of the Ontario Liberal party should be giving."
Milloy said that news distracts from the real issues that the party is working to solve. "Stuff that's not particularly sexy but really important right now," he said.
Party focusing on 'team Bonnie'
Ashley Csanady, a vice-president with McMillan Vantage and a former Liberal staffer, said after a year in the role Crombie is focusing on what type of leader she wants to be.
"That's moving to a place where we're focused more as a party on the basics of what people need in their life," Csanady said. "What she's really trying to do is bring forward real ideas and real solutions for real people."
She said it's a strategic choice to emphasize "team Bonnie" instead of "a big capital L Liberal brand."
Crombie's declaration that she's a centrist, in a province with a moderate political culture, helps differentiate the party from the New Democratic Party, said Jacob Robbins-Kanter, an associate professor at Bishop's University.
"I think she is authentically a centrist. That's her record as mayor of Mississauga. Those are her beliefs," he said.
"There's maybe what seems like a space or an opening for the centrist party to say, 'I'm not like the more extreme parties on either side.' Whereas usually the risk is that you can get squeezed out."
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With files from Lorenda Reddekopp