Members of the Ontario PC Party gathered in Markham to celebrate a new leader were told by the Chair of the Organizing Committee Hartley Lefton to go home Saturday evening. Some five hours after the winner of the leadership vote was to be released at 3 p.m., Lefton had to tell frustrated members that a dispute had stalled the united outcome they had come to celebrate. He said a review is underway and that members and media had to leave the convention hall at 8500 Warden Ave. The space had been promised to another event. Lefton told the packed convention centre that there are 1,300 ballots under dispute, and that the party will reveal results “as soon as practically possible.” “Unfortunately we don’t have access to the hall any longer. Members, I ask you to please go home to wait for results. We cannot stay here,” Lefton said. Loud booing from Doug Ford’s supporters filled the hall as Lefton spoke. The confusion was made worse because the nature of the concern about the ballots is obscure. Reporting by Mike Crawley of the CBC during the afternoon unfolded a picture which had Christine Elliott insisting on a recount of a close outcome. Crawley further reported that a recount had confirmed Doug Ford as the winner of the election. Crawley said that his sources suggested that the impact of the 1,300 ballot on the outcome was not significant. The members left the room as asked and when the lights came on the litter and unreleased balloons intended to celebrate a leader were revealed. The scene was carried on television live coverage.
Oh balllons !!! The PC party that never happened #onpoli #PCPOLdr tearing down the party pic.twitter.com/PQ91Bx49yb
— Jack Boland (@TorSunphoto21) March 11, 2018
