Politics of Ontario

The Province of Ontario is governed by a unicameral legislature, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which operates in the Westminster system of government. The political party that wins the largest number of seats in the legislature normally forms the government, and the party's leader becomes premier of the province, i.e., the head of the government. Ontario's primary political parties are the centre-left Ontario Liberal Party, the centre-right Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC), and the social democratic Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP). The Green Party of Ontario has seen its support grow over the years - to 8.1% of the vote in 2007 - but has yet to win a seat in the Legislature.

After the Province's indecisive first election in 1867, in which the Conservative John Sandfield Macdonald became the first Premier, the Liberals under Edward Blake gained power in 1871 which they would hold until 1905. Blake left for federal politics in 1872, and Oliver Mowat would then serve as Premier until 1896.

Secure in its predominance in the rural parts of Southwestern Ontario, the Liberals also received support through their friendship with the Roman Catholic hierarchy, their use of patronage for political ends, and their dealings with the liquor trade. Mowat's success was buttressed by Arthur Sturgis Hardy's activity as a hard-nosed and down-to-earth politician in his service, as noted by Grip:

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