With less than three months until election day, Ontario's Liberals are grappling with an inner-party kerfuffle over an impending facelift to the party's branding.

Over the weekend, Liberal candidates were shown, for the first time, new logos the party plans to adopt in about three weeks.

The logos were obtained by QP Briefing and published on Monday.

Logos the Ontario Liberal Party plans to debut in March 2022.

Two sources privy to party discussions about the logos shared with QP Briefing that multiple candidates were unhappy with what they were shown. Their complaints were mainly based on three things: the change itself, which some thought was unnecessary, its overhaul happening so close to the election, and the look of the logos themselves.

The party's president, Brian Johns, said Monday night during a webinar hosted by the party to discuss the upcoming election, that he understands candidates' concerns.

"I get that there is a pushback from the candidates," Johns said.

Earlier on Monday, Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca's spokesperson sent QP Briefing comments by email that were attributed to Christine McMillan, the party's campaign director, saying the logos "received overwhelming support" from candidates who saw them over the weekend.

The party's executive council, its governing body, hadn't been shown the new branding yet, Johns added on Monday night. He also said he was "disappointed" someone leaked it to QP Briefing before the party was able to announce them.

The Liberal party was planning on unveiling its new logos on March 26, which is also when it's planning an event with all its candidates.

The Liberals' president was pushed to talk about the party's new logos Monday night by a webinar participant, who was introduced only as "Simone." Simone voiced similar concerns to what QP Briefing heard from irritated candidates, and asked if candidates would be allowed to use campaign materials they've already bought — such as buttons, t-shirts and signs — featuring the party's old logos and font.

"Will we be allowed to use those? Or will we have just poured all that money down the drain?" Simone asked.

Johns did not answer those questions directly.

Sources told QP Briefing candidates will be expected to feature new branding on campaign materials.

In response to Simone, Johns said he would have preferred the rebranding be better timed, but "extenuating circumstances" prevented that.

"We're not going to get it right all the time," he said.

Liberal candidates were also forewarned about a rebranding effort, so they shouldn't have been surprised to learn about the new logos, Johns said.

The party's president added that what should matter during the election campaign is the Liberals' new candidates, new platform, and new leader — which Johns said the party's 2013 branding didn't "jive" with.

Liberal candidates' campaign managers were also shown the incoming logos on Monday and were similarly critical of them, sources said.

The new logos are part of a wider rebranding effort by the party.

They were shown to candidates before other components so candidates could begin preparing things like lawns signs, the party's president said.

Other parts of the rebrand will be shared later.

It didn't take long for the Ontario PC Party to capitalize on its rivals' stumble. The party tweeted a "fixed" version of the Liberals' new logos, which featured scribbles equating Del Duca to the party's former leader Kathleen Wynne — whose unpopularity the provincial Tories used to ride to victory in the 2018 election.

Fixed it. https://t.co/Fe9BZr3IdO pic.twitter.com/wYmEMOKEXl

— Ontario PC Party (@OntarioPCParty) March 8, 2022

For months the PCs have sought to link Del Duca to Wynne, whose cabinet the new leader served in for four years.

Other keyboard commentators were unkind to the Liberals' rebrand since it has circulated on Twitter. Twitter, however, is not typically known for being a forum for nuanced debate nor as a platform of civilized discussion.

Liberal president addresses frustration over new logo: ‘I get that there is a pushback’

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