Kathleen Wynne is the new leader of the Ontario Liberal party and is set to become the province’s first female, and the country`s first openly gay premier.

She won the leadership, defeating Sandra Pupatello on the third ballot.

Wynne trailed Pupatello after the first and second ballots, but with the backing of three rivals who dropped out, she won on the third.

She`ll replace Dalton McGuinty who announced his surprise resignation in October and prorogued the legislature.

  A major priority for Ontario’s next premier will be restoring the Liberal government’s relationship with public sector unions.

The government’s move to impose contracts on public school teachers has sparked fierce opposition from the labour movement.

Thousands of public and private union members attended a rally outside the leadership convention Saturday in Toronto to voice their anger.