NDP steams toward confirmation vote for Marit Stiles

Ontario’s NDP is steaming ahead to a confirmation vote for Marit Stiles — the next leader of the party, leader of the Official Opposition and candidate for premier.
 
“Marit Stiles will work tirelessly to end the era of Conservative cuts and privatization by running to form a government that puts working people at the heart of everything we do,” said Ontario NDP President Janelle Brady. “Together with Marit, we will work to build a party and a 2026 election campaign with space for working people and labour, progressives, racialized and equity-deserving Ontarians, and young people. Marit can give people hope and unite the province to defeat Doug Ford — to make life affordable and rebuild and improve health care and education.”
 
Canada has a long tradition of unopposed leadership candidates going on to win the premier’s office in the next election. That includes former premiers Dave Barrett, Mike Harcourt, Roy Romanow, Brad Wall, Danny Williams and John Horgan.
 
Only Stiles has met all requirements to enter the NDP Leadership contest. Among the requirements Stiles met was gathering 100 nominating signatures from four of six geographic regions in the province, 50 per cent from women and 25 per cent from equity-deserving NDP members including Black, Indigenous and racialized people, and people with disabilities.
 
“Our party is stronger than ever. With Marit as our new leader, we will be able to expand our reach. As president, I’m thrilled about how this exciting time enables us to engage with our membership, build capacity, and ramp up our fight for working people,” said Brady.
 
Per the Ontario NDP constitution, the confirmation vote will be a simple majority, conducted in a one-member-one-vote system weighted to 75 per cent; and votes from affiliate organizations weighted to 25 per cent with each affiliated organization entitled to two votes for the first 100 members or any portion thereof, and one additional vote for each additional 300 members or major fraction thereof.