Nate Erskine-Smith, a federal MP from the eastern Toronto riding Beaches-East York, is the first official candidate in the Ontario Liberal Leadership race. Erskine-Smith will file his paperwork Tuesday night. He’s the first candidate in the leadership race, which voters will decide in November.
“Ontario Liberals need generational and grassroots renewal in every corner of our province,” Erskine-Smith said in an announcement video.
The Ontario Liberal party is coming off two consecutive disappointing elections. After fifteen years in power under two different premiers, the Liberals won only seven seats in 2018, losing official party status. This was the worst result for an incumbent party in Ontario history. In that election, Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative party took 76 seats — a majority — while the NDP shot up to second place and became the Official Opposition.