2026 Ontario Liberal Leadership Race

[nightstreak]

This will be John Fraser's third time as Interim Leader. He might as well just stick around. Between Steve Del Duca, Bonnie Crombie and John Fraser I think Fraser could've beaten Doug Ford the first time and definitely the second.

 

[nightstreak]

Josh Matlow…. Hmm I can get behind that!

Toronto councillor Josh Matlow not closing door on Liberal leadership bid

Matlow says he’s been approached by people who “who are looking for leadership” as the Ontario Liberal Party prepares to announce details about the race by Feb. 9.

www.thestar.com

 

[PL1]

Josh Matlow…. Hmm I can get behind that!

Toronto councillor Josh Matlow not closing door on Liberal leadership bid

Matlow says he’s been approached by people who “who are looking for leadership” as the Ontario Liberal Party prepares to announce details about the race by Feb. 9.

www.thestar.com

It's good to have several viable candidates. I really like Erskine-Smith (he's my MP), but I have definitely not decided on who I think should be leader once the race is opened.

Edit: typo

 

[nightstreak]

It's good to save several viable candidates. I really like Erskine-Smith (he's my MP), but I have definitely not decided on who I think should be leader once the race is opened.

The man needs to settle on one (1) last name!

Honestly, this matters. Can I see a Premier Erskine-Smith? I can certainly imagine a Premier Nate Smith or a Premier Erskine. Every little detail matters when trying to win the support of such a wide tapestry of personalities and nitpickiness in the broader electorate.

 

[PL1]

The man needs to settle on one (1) last name!

Honestly, this matters. Can I see a Premier Erskine-Smith? I can certainly imagine a Premier Nate Smith or a Premier Erskine. Every little detail matters when trying to win the support of such a wide tapestry of personalities and nitpickiness in the broader electorate.

A lot of people of his generation have hyphenated last names. That is his surname; why should he change it?

 

[nightstreak]

A lot of people of his generation have hyphenated last names. That is his surname; why should he change it?

If Leslie Lynch King Jr. hadn’t changed his name, we might have never known President Gerald Ford.

If you’ve had a chance to work in politics, you’ll understand why names are important, particularly when they’re the main brand on lawn signs.

Even if there’s a slight chance 1% of people are like “yeah, I don’t like his name” or didn’t follow the election and “pick a better sounding name” on the ballot, that’s enough to lose an election.

Ask anyone named Kennedy or Bush or Ford or Trudeau if names are important in politics.

 

[txlseries4]

Nate Erskine-Smith will run for leadership and will seek the nomination to run in the Scarborough Southwest by-election

Nate Erskine-Smith (@beynate.bsky.social)

When it comes to Ontario, I'm all in. Join our growing team at teamnate.ca

bsky.app

 

[DSCToronto]

Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith says he plans to run to become Ontario’s next Liberal Party leader and hopes to secure his spot in the caucus by winning the upcoming by-election in Scarborough Southwest.

In a post shared online, the longtime Beaches-East York MPP said he’ll be running to fill the seat that was vacated on Monday by NDP MPP Doly Begum in Scarborough Southwest.

This morning, Begum announced that she intends to run to represent the riding federally for the Liberals following the departure of former Liberal MP Bill Blair, who has accepted a post as Canada’s next U.K. high commissioner.
SEE: https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/...mith-plans-to-run-for-ontario-liberal-leader/

 

[Richard White]

Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith says he plans to run to become Ontario’s next Liberal Party leader and hopes to secure his spot in the caucus by winning the upcoming by-election in Scarborough Southwest.

In a post shared online, the longtime Beaches-East York MPP said he’ll be running to fill the seat that was vacated on Monday by NDP MPP Doly Begum in Scarborough Southwest.

This morning, Begum announced that she intends to run to represent the riding federally for the Liberals following the departure of former Liberal MP Bill Blair, who has accepted a post as Canada’s next U.K. high commissioner.
SEE: https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/...mith-plans-to-run-for-ontario-liberal-leader/

He's got my vote.

I don't normally vote liberal but I also am not completely sold on Marit Styles.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

Ontario Liberal Party to select new leader Nov. 21 | CBC News

Ontario Liberal Party to select new leader Nov. 21​

2026 Ontario Liberal leadership race will be party's 3rd since 2020​

The Ontario Liberal Party says it will select a new leader on Nov. 21, an announcement that kicks off its third leadership race since 2020.
Several politicians, both provincially and federally, have been weighing bids and assembling teams in the background but have been waiting for the date and rules of the upcoming leadership race before making any official announcements.
Party president Kathryn McGarry said in a statement that the race is an opportunity for the party to build momentum and bring Liberals together.
The winner of the leadership contest will replace Bonnie Crombie, who officially resigned earlier this year following lukewarm support in a vote at the party's annual general meeting in the fall.
Crombie led the provincial Liberals back to official party status and increased their seat count in last year's snap election, but she failed to win her own seat and the party did not form the Official Opposition despite receiving nearly 600,000 more votes than the NDP.
Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who finished second to Crombie in the 2023 leadership race, has strongly suggested he will give it another go, and has said he will seek the provincial party's nomination for an upcoming byelection in the Toronto riding of Scarborough Southwest.
Ontario Liberal caucus members Lee Fairclough, Adil Shamji and Rob Cerjanec have also said they are seriously considering jumping into the leadership race when it is called.
Former Liberal party president Mike Crawley is said to be weighing a run, as is housing advocate Eric Lombardi.
Ontario Liberal leader hopefuls have until July 31 at 5 p.m. to submit their nomination papers.
Party members will cast their votes electronically between Nov. 9 and Nov. 20 using a ranked ballot system.

 

[christiesplits]

Ontario Liberal Party to select new leader Nov. 21 | CBC News

The long leadership campaign likely helps Erskine-Smith's challengers as it gives them more time to build supporter lists and fundraise. It wouldn't surprise me if we have some unexpected names making calls over the coming weeks.

 

[chrisw]

It's a long runway, and there'll be drama with the Scarborough Southwest By-election.

 

[Richard White]

It's a long runway, and there'll be drama with the Scarborough Southwest By-election.

As a Scarborough Southwest Resident I want NES to run here.

Qadira Jackson lost in third with less than 50% of the votes. I'm all for equality but the party needs to give their head a shake and put someone in who will win.

 

[adma]

As a Scarborough Southwest Resident I want NES to run here.

Qadira Jackson lost in third with less than 50% of the votes. I'm all for equality but the party needs to give their head a shake and put someone in who will win.

To be fair, Qadira Jackson lost badly more because Doly Begum's incumbency made her (or the Libs in general) redundant as an "anti-Ford" force.

Conversely, if "equality" were an albatross around the Scarborough Libs' neck, then in '18, it would have been Mitzie Hunter being humiliated into a poor third and Lorenzo Berardinetti squeaking out a bare win instead. (And as it were, Qadira Jackson still polled better than Berardinetti. Of course, it doesn't mean she would have won had she run again--indeed, in the absence of Begum or NES, SSW is not implausible as a Tory byelection pickup; and it is the former ward of former Scarborough-Guildwood byelection candidate Gary Crawford, should the FordCons have the gumption to try)

 

[Admiral Beez]

The man needs to settle on one (1) last name!

Honestly, this matters. Can I see a Premier Erskine-Smith? I can certainly imagine a Premier Nate Smith or a Premier Erskine. Every little detail matters when trying to win the support of such a wide tapestry of personalities and nitpickiness in the broader electorate.

Okay, now all I can hear in my head is Premier Ear Skin.