Kingston and the Islands MPP Ted Hsu had hoped to be the leader of the Ontario Liberals but on Dec. 2, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie secured the job.
Hsu said running for the leadership was a valuable experience, but when it came down to it, they just weren’t able to get over the hump.
“We had a lot of second-choice votes, so, we just didn’t get enough first-choice votes,” said Hsu.
He added that it was difficult to overcome Crombie’s notoriety as mayor of a large Ontario Municipality.
“During the leadership race, a lot of people were just waiting. I talked to a lot of people who said ‘Oh, you look like I think I could support you, but I have to wait and see what Bonnie Crombie does,” said Hsu.
At the end of the day, says Hsu, they’re all on the same team, and he’s ready to hit the ground running in the new year.
It will take some time for Crombie to get situated, as she won’t transition out of Mississauga’s mayoral seat until January. Currently, he holds the position of critic for Energy, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry as well as Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
Hsu said he already sees other areas he might tackle when Crombie forms her cabinet.
“Housing, of course, is an area that I’d like to help with, but there’s also economic development,” he said.
Hsu has been a vocal critic of Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government since taking the seat for Kingston and the Islands.
He says he feels the government isn’t on the right track with some significant projects in energy and housing, like the now-repealed Greenbelt land swap.
Hsu says in the new year the party will continue to raise these concerns, and will bring forward their own ideas, including some of his own.
“One of the things that I would like to do is to make sure that we’re offering things to smaller cities in rural and northern Ontario,” he added.
He is setting his sights on leading by example, even if it’s not from the head of his party.