Liberal MP Erskine-Smith loses nomination battle for Ontario provincial byelection

TORONTO — Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith has lost a provincial nomination race, failing to clear the first of several hurdles toward the leadership of the Ontario Liberals.

Ontario Liberal members in the riding of Scarborough Southwest have selected business owner Ahsanul Hafiz as their candidate for an upcoming byelection.

Erskine-Smith, who represents the neighbouring federal riding of Beaches-East York, had indicated he was hoping to run in the provincial Scarborough Southwest byelection to secure a seat in the legislature ahead of a bid for the Ontario Liberal leadership.

He had also said he would resign his federal seat once the provincial byelection was called.

Some of his fellow nomination contestants bristled at what they saw as a candidate trying to use their community as a springboard for the leadership, and Hafiz and Qadira Jackson agreed to put each other second on the nomination race’s ranked ballots.

Erskine-Smith posted an 11th-hour video to social media of him speaking to Prime Minister Mark Carney, who says he hopes to see Erskine-Smith working for the people of Scarborough.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2026.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press