In the recent election, voters crushed the Ontario Liberals to just seven seats and elected Doug Ford as Premier. As a result, some may be tempted to call the defeat a repudiation of the broad Liberal policy. But the reality is the election served to enshrine the core Liberal transformations of the last fifteen years.Let's look at the facts.Ford never sought a mandate to undo the Liberal record. In fact, he pledged not one person would lose their job. When attacked, Ford would often embrace Liberal reforms like rent control or the Greenbelt. On other issues, his talking points were symbolism like firing the CEO of Hydro One or declaring Ontario “open for business.” Ford's clearest policy mandates come from the leadership race, where opposing carbon pricing and a modern sex ed curriculum were requirements to win.Nor was there a great shift of popular support to the Conservatives that would support a tear-down on the Liberal legacy. Ford's 40% vote share was only 5% higher than showings by Tim Hudak or Ernie Eves. Compare that to 46% of voters choosing change with the Liberals in 2003.There was no repudiation of the Liberal reforms from the left either. Far from revolutionary, Andrea Horwath promised a continuation of Liberal policy accelerated by raising corporate taxes. Places where she varied drastically from the Liberals – like never legislating an end to a strike or increasing business property taxes – proved weaknesses.With only token opposition, the record of the Liberals is more transformational to Ontario than the tax cuts of Mike Harris or the social contract of Bob Rae or the constitutional reform attempts of David Peterson. Unlike those earlier quick-burn governments, most Liberal reforms became consensus among the three parties and are built to last.Implementing the HST and keeping corporate taxes low were unpopular at the time, but they made Ontario the most competitive jurisdiction to start a business in Canada. And the result was one million new jobs with strong economic growth.Ontario's highly skilled workforce can sustain that growth powered by free tuition. The high school graduation rate rose from 68% to 86%. Full Day Kindergarten and more child care improved student achievement and supported parents. And those kids enjoy cleaner air after the closure of the coal generating plants and creation of the Greenbelt.The Liberals took a big risk in 2004 with the Ontario Health Premium, and the investments paid off. The money opened Family Health Teams, reduced wait times, and doubled services in home and community care. OHIP+ was the biggest medicare expansion in a generation, providing free pharmaceuticals to youth and a planned expansion to seniors next year.Amortizing debt allowed massive investment in infrastructure including extending the Spadina subway, building the Ottawa and Eglinton LRTs, and almost 50 new or redeveloped hospitals. New financing models via Infrastructure Ontario meant the vast majority were completed on time and on budget. The next round of transit investments like a relief line in Toronto were supported by Ford and Horwath both.Social policy was also transformed. Canada Pension Plan expansion happened because Kathleen Wynne championed it. Women can access the morning after pill for free. The minimum wage rose from $6.85 to $14. Liberals made it easier to move from welfare to work with the Ontario Child Benefit. LGBT kids now know they too can be elected Premier.Undoing any element of this legacy will be exceedingly difficult for Doug Ford. While Mike Harris came to office with a clear mandate for the Common Sense Revolution, Ford shied away from laying out how he would substantively differ from the Liberals. Post-election polling shows that voters heard Ford's “not one person will lose their job” pledge and took him at his word.So if it wasn't the broad policy agenda that led to Liberal catastrophe, what was it? Some point to gas plants, electricity costs or battles with doctors as the reasons for the Liberal defeat. But those factors were all present in 2014 when Kathleen Wynne won a majority.The truth is governments need to change after a while.After 15 years, the seats in the Ministry boardrooms feel more comfortable than those in the Legislature or the constituency office. The hard work of party organization and fundraising becomes less interesting than perfecting the latest new program. More time gets spent explaining away past problems than focusing on solutions for tomorrow.Make no mistake, the Ontario Liberal Party is in for a miserable few years. But the Liberals leave office with a policy legacy that can serve as a source of strength with the electorate in the lean years to come.

Andrew Steele is a Vice President at StrategyCorp and served as an advisor to Dalton McGuinty.