Federal Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith lost the Ontario Liberal Party nomination for the upcoming Scarborough Southwest provincial byelection to business owner Ahsanul Hafiz.
The defeat blocks a strategic path for Erskine-Smith, who sought the provincial seat to position himself for a future bid for the Ontario Liberal leadership.
The nomination results were reported on May 9, 2026 [1]. The contest ended in a narrow victory for Hafiz, who said he was grateful to his supporters following the announcement.
"Because of you guys, I'm here today," Hafiz said. "I know everybody put [in a] lot of effort and that is the beauty of democracy" [2].
Erskine-Smith, who currently represents the federal riding of Beaches-East York, faced a slim margin of defeat. He lost by 19 votes [3]. Following the result, the MP said he may seek a review of the process to ensure the outcome was accurate.
"I lost by 19 votes and will see if there’s a legitimate reason to challenge the result," Erskine-Smith said [3].
The race for the Scarborough Southwest seat is now set with Hafiz as the party's candidate. The outcome represents a shift in momentum for the local party membership, opting for a business owner over a sitting member of Parliament.
“I lost by 19 votes and will see if there’s a legitimate reason to challenge the result.”
This result signals a potential disconnect between the federal Liberal establishment and the local provincial membership in Scarborough Southwest. By rejecting a sitting MP in favor of a business owner, the party base may be prioritizing fresh faces or local business ties over established legislative experience as they prepare for the byelection.
