Ontario Liberals divided over Nate Erskine-Smith byelection bid

MP Nate Erskine-Smith says he will seek the Ontario Liberal nomination in the Scarborough Southwest provincial byelection, and local Liberal Qadira Jackson says leadership contenders running there would be divisive.

Ontario Liberals are showing internal divisions after MP Nate Erskine-Smith said he plans to seek his party's nomination in the Scarborough Southwest provincial byelection. The provincial contest followed MPP Doly Begum's decision to leave the NDP and run federally for the Liberal Party. Local Liberal Qadira Jackson, who was the party's candidate in last winter's general election, said she wants to run again and warned that leadership contenders contesting the riding would be divisive. Party figures have said the Ontario Liberal Party leadership will make the final call on nomination rules. Key developments: - Nate Erskine-Smith announced he intends to seek the Ontario Liberal nomination in Scarborough Southwest when Premier Doug Ford calls a provincial byelection, which he said could happen within six months. - Qadira Jackson, the Liberal candidate in the 2025 general election, says she plans to run again and warned that leadership candidates entering the local race would be divisive. - Doly Begum left the provincial NDP to run in a federal Liberal byelection in Scarborough Southwest, creating the provincial vacancy. - Ontario Liberal MPPs and organizers have called for a fair and open nomination process, and party leadership is expected to set the rules. Summary: The reported dispute centers on who should contest the Scarborough Southwest nomination, with competing views between a neighbouring MP seeking the seat and a local candidate seeking to run again. The next procedural step is for Premier Doug Ford to call the provincial byelection, after which the party leadership will oversee nomination arrangements.