Politics is a brutal business. Honestly, if you look at the track record of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, you see a career that defines the highest of highs and the absolute rock bottom of Canadian public life. Most people remember the end—the 2018 election where the Liberals didn't just lose; they essentially evaporated from the map. But focusing only on the exit is a mistake. It misses the weird, complex, and incredibly ambitious middle part of her story.
Kathleen Wynne wasn't supposed to win a majority in 2014. Everyone said she was a "placeholder" after Dalton McGuinty resigned under the dark cloud of the gas plant scandal. Yet, she went out and pulled off a win that stunned the pundits. She was the first woman to lead Ontario and the first openly gay premier in Canada. That matters. It’s not just a trivia fact; it shaped how she governed and, frankly, how people reacted to her.
The "Activist Centre" and why it broke things
Wynne had this phrase she loved: the "activist centre." Basically, she believed the government should be a "force for good" in your daily life. It sounds nice on a bumper sticker, but in practice, it meant she was constantly pushing the envelope.
Think about the minimum wage. She hiked it to $14 an hour at a time when businesses were screaming that it would kill the economy. It didn't. But it definitely created a rift. Then there was the updated sex-ed curriculum. For Wynne, it was about protecting kids in a digital age—teaching about consent and online safety. For a lot of parents, it felt like the government was overstepping its bounds.
The Hydro One Problem
You can't talk about Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne without talking about electricity bills. This was the "third rail" of her premiership. Her decision to partially privatize Hydro One is still something people argue about at Tim Hortons.
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- She wanted to fund "MoveONT" and transit projects.
- Selling shares in the utility brought in cash.
- But it made people feel like they’d lost control of a basic necessity.
When hydro prices skyrocketed, the blame landed squarely on her desk. She eventually apologized, calling it a "mistake" not to notice how much people were struggling, but by then, the narrative was baked in. People felt she was out of touch. The "Toronto bubble" label stuck.
What the history books usually skip
There’s a nuance to her time in office that gets lost in the "gas plants and hydro" headlines. Wynne was a mediator by trade. Before she was a politician, she was a school trustee and a community organizer. She actually cared about the "boring" stuff that makes a province run.
Take the OHIP+ program. Making prescription drugs free for everyone under 25 was a massive shift. Or the basic income pilot project. These were big, swing-for-the-fences ideas. Some worked, some were scrapped the second Doug Ford took the keys to the office, but they showed a leader who wasn't afraid to spend political capital.
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The 2018 collapse and the legacy left behind
The end was, well, it was something else. By 2018, her approval ratings were sitting around 12% to 15%. That’s "don't show your face at the grocery store" territory.
In a move that was either incredibly brave or totally bizarre, she conceded the election before it even happened. She stood at a podium and basically said, "I know I'm going to lose, but please elect my candidates so we can keep a check on the next guy." It didn't work. The Liberals were reduced to seven seats. They lost official party status.
Why her impact still lingers
Despite the defeat, much of what she did is now the "new normal" in Ontario.
- Full-day kindergarten: This was a massive win for working families.
- Climate policy: Even though the cap-and-trade system was dismantled, it set the stage for the current national debates.
- Representation: She broke a glass ceiling that can never be put back together.
Today, she’s largely stepped away from the spotlight, though she’s been seen teaching at the University of Toronto. She’s moved to Alliston and seems content to let the historians fight over her record.
Moving forward: Insights for the future
If you're trying to understand the current state of Ontario politics, you have to look at the Wynne years as the bridge between the old-school Liberal dominance and the populist shift we see now.
Actionable Insights:
- Look at the data, not just the headlines: If you’re researching provincial history, check the employment rates and infrastructure spending from 2013-2018. The numbers often tell a different story than the attack ads.
- Understand the "Urban-Rural" divide: Much of the anger directed at Wynne came from the perception that she only cared about Toronto. This is a lesson every politician since has tried to learn (or exploit).
- Evaluate policy longevity: Notice which "Wynne-era" policies survived the transition to the Ford government. Often, the most controversial changes are the ones that actually stick because they become essential.
The story of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is a reminder that in politics, you can be right on policy and still lose the room. It’s a lesson in the importance of connection over just "doing the work."
Next steps: You might want to compare the 2014 and 2018 electoral maps of Ontario to see exactly where the Liberal base eroded. Looking into the specific details of the 2015 Sex-Ed curriculum can also provide context on why it became such a flashpoint for cultural debate in the province.