'It's not over till it's over' says Kate Graham as she makes final push to lead Ontario's Liberals

London's Kate Graham is wrapping up her six-month campaign to lead the provincial Liberals this week.

Heading into this weekend's leadership convention, Graham sits in third spot behind former cabinet minister Stephen Del Duca and former social services minister Michael Coteau.

She sat down with London Morning's Rebecca Zandbergen to talk about the race.

How has the campaign been for you?

Phenomenal. It's been about a six month journey. The campaign has grown from a couple of people around a dining room table to now 450 volunteers around the province. We had hundreds of people run with us. We've gothundreds of people going to the convention. It's picked up steam like even I didn't expect at the beginning.

People were skeptical at the beginning because you're someone who never held a political office of any kind. And so how did you combat that?

Yeah, I'm the youngest in the race. I'm the only one from Southwestern Ontario, the only one who grew up in a small town, not a career politician, not a former cabinet minister. But the party had it's worst defeat in 2018. We need to rise up into something quite different and so I believe it's time for a different kind of leader. I think people are looking for someone with experience outside Queen's Park and who is motivated to change the party and also how we do politics in Ontario.

And do you think you've made that kind of dent on the campaign?

I've been described as an insurgent, a surprise, a rising star. There are six fantastic candidates in the race, and to be doing so well. You know, Dalton McGuinty went into the convention in third place. A lot can happen in these processes so I feel really proud with how we've done and at the end of the day I think this weekend is about more than who ournext leader is. It's about how we collectively, want to see leadership in this province. And so for people who aren't happy with how things are going in Ontario right now, it's a moment to speak up and say enough. Things can be done in a different way.

I think a lot of people have already given this to Stephen Del Duca but it sounds like you are not throwing in the towel yet.

Oh no. It's not over till it's over. You know the numbers that you reported are based on the elected delegates andwe had just shy of 300 people elected which is a great number heading in. There's about 600 uncommitted delegates, they'recalled ex-officios and we don't know their intentions until they get there this weekend. So we're going to go and make our pitch.

Kate Graham on London Morning

5 years ago

Duration 1:11

Provincial Liberal leadership hopeful Kate Graham spoke with London Morning host Rebecca Zandbergen about how she's feeling heading into the leadership convention this weekend in third place.

So if you were the leader, what would you change that we normally see in a leader?

All of my experience is in non partisan styles of government. I spent a decade at city hall, I was a director there. I have a PhD in political science. I think provincial politics in particular, has become very hyper partisan. You see the parties being more interested in discrediting one another, and focusing on winning elections at all costs instead of on things that matter to people's lives, so I'm interested in building a party that is less hyper partisan, a little less ego, more open to working with other parties where it makes sense andmore open to a diversity of views. I want to see a party where it's a place where people who, even if they have different opinions but they want to see progressive direction in Ontario, it's a place where they can come and make that kind of change.

And you think there's an appetite for that in Ontario?

I wouldn't be running if I didn't. And I think that is the reason we've seen our campaign pick up so much steam.

Tell me about the other party of your life right now. You're pregnant. What has that been like?

The first three months was not easy. I've travelled 30,000 km around Ontario in the last six months, a lot of time speaking, sometimes five or six times a day, in different communities. Sometimes 12 to 14 hours a day of knocking on doors, doing all of that while exhausted and feeling nauseous was certainly not easy. But I've been really overwhelmed with what a positive response there's been to the pregnancy. Millions of women have had this experience and it's a real treat, I think I'm the first woman who's run for leader while pregnant in Ontario. We have not reached gender parity in politics untilit's not unusual to see women, including sometimes pregnant women andsometimes new moms.

You talk about gender parity. I'm sure there will be some push back from voters who say, 'She can't do both things.' Are you worried about that at all?

There has been a little bit for sure but as I said, millions of women do this all the time.I have a supportive partner, an amazing family network of support. I have no doubt that we will be able to tackle the challenge of parenthood while also pursuing political paths.

What do you in the next few days before the big convention on Saturday?

Tonight is our final big event of the campaign before the convention. Over the next few days, we'll continuing connecting with ex-officios and then head to Missassaugafor the convention. I'm hoping to make London proud this weekend.