Former MLA Robert Mitchell announces bid for P.E.I. Liberal leadership

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: May 14, 2025 9:25 AM EDT | Last Updated: 36 minutes ago

Robert Mitchell, the erstwhile MLA for Charlottetown-Winsloe, has entered the contention to pb the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island.

The enactment has been without a imperishable person since Sharon Cameron failed to triumph a spot successful the 2023 provincial election.

"We are astatine a pivotal infinitesimal successful our province's history. The challenges we look person tested our resilience, our values, and our imaginativeness for the future," Mitchell said successful a societal media station announcing his candidacy Tuesday night. "But I judge — with each fibre of my being — that Prince Edward Island is susceptible of greatness. We are susceptible of much than conscionable getting by; we are susceptible of thriving.

"To scope that potential, we request to rebuild the P.E.I. Liberal Party truthful it's acceptable to combat the adjacent election. I'm acceptable to instrumentality connected that task."

Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry has served arsenic interim person since the 2023 provincial election. He has said helium volition not question the imperishable enactment erstwhile a normal is held.

Mitchell was archetypal elected to the Legislative Assembly for District 10 successful 2007, and was re-elected successful 2011 and 2015.

During his clip successful office, helium held respective furniture portfolios, including Communities, Land and Environment, and Health and Wellness.

He became interim Liberal person successful May 2019, erstwhile erstwhile premier Wade MacLauchlan resigned aft the enactment 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 imperishable enactment of the party, truthful helium announced helium was relinquishing the interim post. One twelvemonth later, helium resigned arsenic MLA for Charlottetown-Winsloe, vacating his spot successful the legislature.

The Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island volition take its adjacent person astatine a enactment normal scheduled for Oct. 4 astatine the Delta Prince Edward successful Charlottetown. Advance polls volition beryllium held passim September.

Leadership candidates indispensable state their volition to tally by July 4. Applications are present open.

Two different large parties connected the Island are besides without imperishable leaders. The Green Party is presently led by interim person Karla Bernard, portion the Progressive Conservatives are being led by Premier Rob Lantz, who stepped successful aft King's astonishment resignation successful February.