UPDATED: Warm Greeting For Wynne at Caucus
The incoming premier entered her first Liberal caucus meeting as leader today and was greeted by applause so loud, it could be heard in the hallways of Queen's Park.
Kathleen Wynne says the reason why she wanted to have a caucus meeting so early is to make sure any potential rifts within the party weren't widened due to time. However, she strikes down the notion that there is an "us-against-them" mentality within the party between MPPs who supported her and those who supported second-place leadership contender Sandra Pupatello.
Wynne underlines everyone in caucus was united with her on stage on Saturday night because they all want to focus on renewal moving forward. She reveals she has spoken with the two leadership candidates who don't have a seat at Queen's Park - Pupatello and Gerard Kennedy - and hopes they will both be part of the party's renewal.
She says she is still considering what her cabinet is going to look like but maintains she will be Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister for up to a year, as she promised during the leadership campaign.
Former Liberal leadership Candidate MPP Glen Murray says it's up to Wynne to choose what she wants him to do in cabinet. He reveals that when dropped out of the leadership race to support Wynne, she told him he would be a senior member of her team.
MPP Charles Sousa also points to Wynne as the decision maker. The leadership candidate has been rumoured to be after the Finance Minister job because of his background in banking.
Outgoing Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says he has spoken with Wynne, and underlined that he doesn't want to be in cabinet again. He told Newstalk 1010 at the Liberal leadership convention he had packed up his ministry office last week.
Duncan says he isn't relinquishing his seat just yet and is open to helping Wynne in other capacities if he does step down.
Despite supporting Pupatello, Duncan maintains he's delighted for Wynne.