Outgoing deputy leader of Ontario NDP will run for federal seat vacated by Bill Blair Interim federal NDP Leader Don Davies is accusing Ontario NDP deputy leader Doly Begum of undermining democracy after announcing she will run federally as a Liberal for the seat vacated by former MP Bill Blair. “When Canadians see politicians betray the values and policies that they claim to believe in, I think it damages our democracy and it breeds cynicism in our politics,” Davies said.
“I’ll leave it to Ms. Begum to explain to the people of Scarborough Southwest why she’s abandoning the progressive policies she claimed to believe in to run for a party that is clearly governing like a conservative party.” ”If you’re committed to a political party and a movement, you should stick with it. So I’m disappointed in that kind of decision,” said Alexandre Boulerice, the party’s only Quebec MP, on his way into Parliament. Begum represented the provincial riding of Scarborough Southwest for the NDP in Queen’s Park since 2018. She resigned on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming federal byelection for the overlapping federal riding which bears the same name. “I’ve had the privilege to earn the trust and fight for the people of Scarborough Southwest for more than seven years as our MPP,” said Begum in a statement.
“I understand the priorities of our community, and at this crucial moment for our country, I believe we must come together to build a stronger, more united and more prosperous Canada.” Liberal MP to run for Begum’s Ontario seat Blair, who held the federal riding of Scarborough Southwest since 2015, resigned from the House of Commons on Monday.
In the spring he will take up his new role as the High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom. Begum is the second byelection candidate announced by the federal Liberals so far this year.
Last week, the party announced that family physician Dr. Danielle Martin will be their candidate for the upcoming byelection in University-Rosedale.
That riding became vacant when former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland stepped down from her downtown Toronto seat last month. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles issued a statement confirming that Begum had resigned and thanked the former New Democrat and her staff for their “excellent work.”
“Our party has been proud to represent the good people of Scarborough Southwest for the past eight years and look forward to continuing that representation,” Stiles said.
Shortly after it was reported that Begum had resigned her provincial seat, the Liberal MP for the neighbouring Toronto riding of Beaches-East York, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, said he would seek the Ontario Liberal Party’s nomination to run in Begum’s old seat. ”I’ll continue to support Prime Minister Carney and our federal Liberal team,” he said in a post on his website. “At the same time, I know that the biggest difference I can make is rebuilding our provincial Liberal Party to deliver for Ontarians.”..
Source: cbc.ca/news
