Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Bonnie Crombie is responding to comments by her rival Nate Erskine-Smith that are being perceived as ageist.

Erskine-Smith is standing by his comment saying that he in no criticized her age when he said “We should be thinking what kind of party we want to build for the next 15-20 years” adding that he can build renewal in a way that Crombie cannot.

The 63-year-old Crombie was initially hesitant to respond but Monday responded by writing an editorial in the Toronto Star saying she’s in it for “the long haul” and that “there’s no place for ageism or any discrimination in politics.

The Mississauga Mayor says that any suggestion that a “woman’s age has a negative impact on her ability to contribute, or make a long-term commitment to her work, isn’t just plain wrong — it’s harmful.

And she invoked the advice of her mentor the late Hazel McCallion – who was still working up until her death early this year at 101 – that “many will doubt your commitment but don’t let them get to you.”