Ontario NDP’s Stiles shakes up team after leadership review

TORONTO — Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles has parted ways with two of her top staffers after receiving 68 per cent support in a leadership review over the weekend.

She says in a statement that chief of staff Greg Denton and principal secretary Stephanie Nakitsas are departing.

Jen Hassum, executive director of the Broadbent Institute, is stepping in as interim chief of staff.

The NDP held its convention over the weekend and while Stiles received enough support in the leadership review to stay on, it was not a resounding backing by party members.

In her speech at the convention, Stiles signalled some changes were coming, as the party sets its sights in a 2029 provincial election.

The NDP remains the official Opposition, but dropped in seat count and in the popular vote in the snap election held earlier this year.

“I want to thank Greg and Stephanie for their years of dedication to our party, for their leadership during an unprecedented political time, and in a snap election campaign that protected our seats and maintained our strong foundation,” Stiles wrote Monday in a statement.

“My singular focus in the coming years will be building and growing our movement, so that we can defeat Ford and replace him with an NDP government that will work for working people.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2025.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press