For the first time since the Ontario election, Wynne returns to the legislature

Thestar.com
July 23, 2018
Robert Benzie

Former premier Kathleen Wynne has returned to the legislature for the first time since her Liberals lost the June 7 election to Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives.

With the Danforth shooting looming over Monday’s proceedings, it was a sombre day for Wynne to come back to Queen’s Park.

Former premier Kathleen Wynne during the morning question period in Ontario’s Legislature on July 23, 2018. Wynne, premier for more than five years, admitted it was difficult to be sitting on the opposition side of the legislature.

“I was very sad to have to talk about what happened on the Danforth, but it’s really important that we sort out ... what is going on and why this is happening,” the Don Valley West MPP said after giving a statement on Sunday’s tragedy.

Wynne, premier for more than five years before stepping down as Liberal leader on election night, conceded it was difficult to be sitting on the opposition side of the legislature.

“Sure, it’s hard --I’m not going to pretend it’s not. But it is good to be back with my colleagues. The work that gets done here is so important and affects so many people’s lives,” she told the Star.

“Somebody said this to me, but it’s what I really believe: there’s no bad seat in that House. There are only 124 of us. It is a huge honour.”

While Wynne queried Ford about NAFTA talks during the morning question period, her successor bounced it to Economic Development and Trade Minister Jim Wilson.

Minutes earlier, the two --along with NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, interim Liberal Leader John Fraser, and Green Leader Mike Schreiner --made statements to the House on the shooting.

It was the first time that two premiers had spoken in the legislature on the same day since 2004 when then Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty and his Tory predecessor Ernie Eves were both MPPs.