Three candidates boasting cred from federal politics are increasingly building their bids to become leader of the Ontario Liberal party, while others have bowed out.

MPs Yasir Naqvi and Nate Erskine-Smith, as well as MPP Ted Hsu, a former MP, are the three possible candidates farthest along in putting together campaigns, according to three party sources.

Meanwhile, Jeff Lehman and Mohamad Fakih, who had each kicked the tires on mounting leadership runs, have indicated they've changed their minds.

Lehman, Barrie's former mayor whose loss as a Liberal candidate by 296 votes to Attorney General Doug Downey was the narrowest defeat in this spring's election, was elected to a four-year term as Muskoka's district chair in December.

Fakih, the founder and executive chair of Paramount Fine Foods who has been a longtime Liberal backer, has been telling people he doesn't intend on running for leadership of the provincial party, a source close to him said.

Some sources in this story were promised anonymity to allow them to discuss Liberal party matters.

MPP Mitzie Hunter, who placed fourth in the Ontario Liberals' 2020 leadership election, is also believed by some in the party to be mulling another leadership run, but she hasn't voiced this publicly.

READ MORE: Caucus members, mayor, businessman and MP ponder Ontario Liberal leadership bids

It likely won't be for months that the Ontario Liberal leadership race fills up in an official way. Basic election details — like its length, timing and rules — won't be decided until after the party's upcoming annual general meeting, which is planned in Hamilton from March 3 to 5.

Who gets to vote for the next Ontario Liberal leader is also still undetermined, as there's expected to be a push at the party's AGM to switch to a weighted one-member-one-vote system, like many other parties in Canada use. Historically, party delegates have decided Ontario Liberal leadership elections.

READ MORE: Another push for one-member-one-vote expected in the OLP

Even with the Ontario Liberal leadership race's parameters far from set — and the election itself possibly more than a year away — party insiders would be surprised if any of Naqvi, Erskine-Smith or Hsu didn't end up running.

Each has been courting support from party stalwarts and building out their prospective campaign teams.

Naqvi, the most recent of the three to publicize his interest, in December emailed a small group of Liberals soliciting donations for his campaign-to-be.

Naqvi also said in the email, which QP Briefing obtained from a recipient, that he was setting up "an exploratory committee," and that he'd be travelling to Ontario to connect with Liberals about "how we rebuild our party and mount a successful campaign against Doug Ford."

Last Thursday, Naqvi also spoke to QP Briefing about where he stands.

He said his focus, if he runs for Ontario Liberal leader, will be "talking about what lies ahead" for the province, like, "how do we rebuild our own institutions," such as the health care system and public education.

"People are losing confidence in (public institutions) ... because the current government has been incompetent in dealing with running a system that really meets the challenges in a post-pandemic environment," Naqvi said.

Naqvi also said he doesn't intend to shy away from his experience in Kathleen Wynne's government, in which he served in multiple cabinet portfolios, including as attorney general.

"No government is perfect," he said. "But I'm one of those people who learn from mistakes, and with my experience, I'll make sure those mistakes are never made again."

In total, Naqvi was an MPP for 11 years before he lost his seat of Ottawa Centre to Joel Harden as part of the larger crushing defeat for the Liberals. He was elected an MP in the overlapping federal riding in 2021.

A lawyer by training, he's a parliamentary secretary in the Trudeau government.

Asked what his most valuable takeaway has been from his time in federal politics, Naqvi pointed to a better appreciation for how effective governments can be when all three levels are working together.

"I think the pandemic was a great example of when all three orders of government were working in tandem, (that) we can get a lot of things done," he said. "So I think good working, positive relationships between orders of government is extremely important."

READ MORE: Ted Hsu’s back and considering an Ontario Liberal leadership run

Two MPs (and an ex-MP) plot ahead as Ontario Liberal leadership field thins out

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