Former MLA Robert Mitchell announces bid for P.E.I. Liberal leadership
Mitchell was interim leader of the provincial party for 4 months after the 2019 election
Robert Mitchell, the former MLA for Charlottetown-Winsloe, has entered the race to lead the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island.
The party has been without a permanent leader since Sharon Cameron failed to win a seat in the 2023 provincial election.
"We are at a pivotal moment in our province's history. The challenges we face have tested our resilience, our values, and our vision for the future," Mitchell said in a social media post announcing his candidacy Tuesday night. "But I believe — with every fibre of my being — that Prince Edward Island is capable of greatness. We are capable of more than just getting by; we are capable of thriving.
"To reach that potential, we need to rebuild the P.E.I. Liberal Party so it's ready to fight the next election. I'm ready to take on that task."
Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry has served as interim leader since the 2023 provincial election. He has said he will not seek the permanent leadership when a convention is held.
Mitchell was first elected to the Legislative Assembly for District 10 in 2007, and was re-elected in 2011 and 2015.
During his time in office, he held several cabinet portfolios, including Communities, Land and Environment, and Health and Wellness.
He became interim Liberal leader in May 2019, when former premier Wade MacLauchlan resigned after the party fell to Dennis King's Progressive Conservatives in the April 2019 provincial election.
By September of that year, Mitchell was considering a bid for the permanent leadership of the party, so he announced he was relinquishing the interim post. One year later, he resigned as MLA for Charlottetown-Winsloe, vacating his seat in the legislature.
The Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island will choose its next leader at a leadership convention scheduled for Oct. 4 at the Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown. Advance polls will be held throughout September.
Leadership candidates must declare their intention to run by July 4. Applications are now open.
Two other major parties on the Island are also without permanent leaders. The Green Party is currently led by interim leader Karla Bernard, while the Progressive Conservatives are being led by Premier Rob Lantz, who stepped in after King's surprise resignation in February.