In a closely contested battle, Silvia Gualtieri, the mother-in-law of Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, has defeated former Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie to win the Mississauga East–Cooksville seat for the Progressive Conservative Party.
Despite Crombie’s high-profile name recognition and nearly a decade as Mississauga’s mayor, she fell short against Gualtieri, who secured 16,763 votes compared to Crombie’s 16,536, a margin of just 1,227 votes, according to Elections Ontario.
With a 41% voter turnout in the riding of 87,521 registered voters, Gualtieri claimed 47.49% of the vote, ensuring another PC seat in Ontario’s legislature.
Gualtieri’s victory extends the family’s political influence, as she is also the sister of incumbent Mississauga-Lakeshore MPP Rudy Cuzzetto, a PC member since 2018, who is on track to retain his seat.
Her daughter Genevieve Gualtieri-Brown married Patrick Brown in 2018, making this election win a notable family triumph for the Brampton mayor.
Brown was seen celebrating with Gualtieri on election night, later posting a congratulatory message on social media.
Crombie had stepped down as Mississauga mayor in 2023 to lead the Ontario Liberal Party and chose Mississauga East–Cooksville as her entry point into provincial politics. However, this loss is a major setback for both her leadership and the Liberals, who had hoped to regain ground in the Peel region.
With PC momentum holding strong in key ridings, this defeat signals ongoing challenges for Crombie’s leadership as she seeks to rebuild the Liberal Party’s presence in Ontario.
Gualtieri’s win reinforces Doug Ford’s PC Party’s grip on the Greater Toronto Area, while Crombie now faces the challenge of leading the Ontario Liberals without a seat in Queen’s Park. How she navigates this setback will be critical for the party’s future direction.
Meanwhile, Patrick Brown’s political circle has expanded, further solidifying his influence in provincial politics.