The Ontario Liberal Party is standing by the results of its Scarborough Southwest nomination contest after federal MP Nate Erskine-Smith raised concerns about the fairness of the race following a narrow defeat. Businessman Ahsanul Hafizwon the nomination by 19 votes, positioning himself as the party’s candidate for an upcoming provincial byelection in the Toronto-area riding.
The closely watched contest was seen as a major step in Erskine-Smith’s potential campaign for the Ontario Liberal leadership. Following the loss, he questioned voting procedures, citing concerns raised by his scrutineering team over voter identification issues and the party’s membership validation process. His campaign also argued that more than 1,800 memberships were excluded due to duplication or incomplete verification, potentially disenfranchising some voters.
Interim Ontario Liberal leader John Fraser defended the nomination process, calling it fair and transparent, while emphasizing the party’s focus on winning the upcoming byelection. Meanwhile, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles said her party remains confident in retaining the riding, highlighting the NDP’s long-standing presence in Scarborough Southwest.
