Former Wynne, Trudeau staffer hopes policy chops can win Ontario Liberal leadership race

Dylan Marando, an Ontario Liberal leadership candidate, is urging party members to prioritize substance and policy expertise over popularity in the race to lead the third-place party. Marando, the first candidate to enter the race, believes his extensive experience advising federal and provincial governments on significant national programs will distinguish him.

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Ontario Liberals are smart, and they know that we’re in the fight of our lives and that when you’re in a fight for your life, you have to abandon the spectacle and get to substance.

"Ontario Liberals are smart, and they know that we’re in the fight of our lives and that when you’re in a fight for your life, you have to abandon the spectacle and get to substance," Marando told Global News. He stressed the need for a clear plan, an executable team, and a leader with a proven track record of achieving substantial goals.

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You need a plan, you need a team that can execute that plan, and you need the leader who has experience getting big stuff done. So I think policy is going to be really, really important in this leadership race.

With a background that includes shaping policies for former Ontario premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne, as well as former prime minister Justin Trudeau, Marando points to his involvement in landmark initiatives. "I was at the table when we built the national housing strategy, when we built the national child care program, when we built the Canada Child Benefit, and when we built the Canadian dental care plan," he stated, underscoring his capability to "get the big stuff done."

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I was at the table when we built the national housing strategy, when we built the national child care program, when we built the Canada Child Benefit, and when we built the Canadian dental care plan.

Marando's platform focuses on a "new deal" for younger Ontarians, whom he describes as a "forgotten generation." His proposals include reversing changes to the OSAP loan-to-grant formula, eliminating interest on student loans, and making tuition more affordable. He also advocates for eliminating income taxes for individuals earning $50,000 or less and integrating mental health care into the Ontario Health Insurance Plan to ensure universal access.

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So I’ve been part of some of the biggest Liberal policies of the last decade. I know what it takes to get the big stuff done.