Former Windsor MPP calls on Ontario Liberal Party to move to the centre

Former Windsor MPP Sandra Pupatello watched the Ontario Liberal Party's annual general meeting from afar, but she isn't thrilled with the party choosing to stick with their traditional way of choosing their next leader.

The membership turned down a one person-one vote system, instead sticking with a delegated convention.

"In the end, I think there's ups and downs to both systems," said Pupatello. "When every riding is assigned ten votes, it's a lot tougher to get those ten in and it doesn't reflect the majority of where the votes are."

Pupatelloleft politics in 2011 after serving in Dalton McGuinty's cabinet, briefly returning to run against Kathleen Wynne in 2013.

"The party moved too far to the left," said Pupatelloabout the Liberal party. "That's what people rejected. People started becoming quite annoyed."

Leadership front runners, Steven Del Duca and Michael Coteau, have the experience needed to lead the party, according to Pupatello. Both are former cabinet ministers.

"I think it's going to come down to Del Duca and Coteau," said Pupatello, adding that she hoped the leader would be "someone from within."

"I wish there was an interview process to decide who would be the leader."

Ontario people 'don't want extreme'

Polls have also shown support for John Tory, Toronto mayor.

Pupatello said that's because people in Ontario want someone in the centre of the spectrum.

"People in Ontario are mostly in the middle," said Pupatello. "They don't want extreme."

According to Pupatello, Tory is happy being the mayor and while she's not interested in the leadership, she does want to see the party make some moves to the centre.

"I'm hopeful my centrist thinking will play some part in the crowd," said Pupatello, thinking maybe she could be speaking on the sidelines as an advisor or analyst. Pupatello pointed directly to connecting climate change and economy as something that needed to be a priority conversation.

"You can't ignore some challenges we're facing," said Pupatello. "But you have to be thinking about the economy all the time."

While Pupatello's made it clear she's not interested in the federal leadership, she has been asked to run provincially but don't expect her to take aseat anytime soon.

"I'm always flattered," said Pupatello. "But I think that boat has sailed. But I can't say what will happen in the future. Who knows what will happen down the road."

Pupatello made it clear:

"Windsor-Essex deserves the kind of access we used to have."