The Ontario Liberal Party has confirmed that Ahsanul Hafiz will remain the candidate for Scarborough Southwest after an arbitration panel dismissed an appeal by high-profile rival Nate Erskine-Smith. The decision, announced late Sunday, upholds Hafiz's narrow 19-vote victory in the nomination race.
Arbitration Ruling
The arbitration committee, chaired by David Zimmer, reviewed allegations brought forward by Erskine-Smith, who had questioned the integrity of the nomination process. In its decision, the committee stated that “none of the irregularities alleged by Mr. Erskine-Smith was an irregularity that affected the result of the election or that calls into question the integrity of the nomination process.” The ruling further emphasized that “the nomination rules were followed” and that “Mr. Hafiz was the true winner of the vote.”
Reactions from Both Camps
Hafiz expressed gratitude for the committee's work, stating on social media, “I am grateful for the careful work of the arbitration committee and my team. Party staff ran a rigorous and fair nomination process and I thank all the volunteers for their hard work. I am focused on winning the support of voters in Scarborough Southwest and turning this riding red.”
Erskine-Smith, who had filed his appeal on May 12 after casting doubts on the results, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Beaches—East York MP had previously spoken with scrutineers who described the process as unprecedented. He had accepted interim Liberal Leader John Fraser's challenge to “prove it” regarding his concerns about voter ID issues.
Party's Commitment to Transparency
Interim Leader John Fraser praised the process, saying, “We committed to an open and transparent nomination process — and that commitment did not waver when a challenge was filed. With this process now complete, our full attention turns to Scarborough Southwest.”
The riding became vacant after former NDP MPP Doly Begum resigned to successfully run federally for the Liberals. Premier Doug Ford has yet to announce a byelection date.
