Liberals Say NDP MPP Doly Begum Will Be Their Candidate in Byelection for Bill Blair’s Riding

The federal Liberals have announced Ontario New Democrat MPP Doly Begum will be their candidate for the Scarborough Southwest riding after the recent resignation of Liberal MP Bill Blair.

Blair resigned his House of Commons seat on Feb. 2 after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the veteran MP and former cabinet minister will be appointed Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

The Liberal Party of Canada announced in a Feb. 3 press release that Begum, who has represented Scarborough for more than seven years at Queen’s Park, will be the party’s candidate for the federal Scarborough Southwest riding.

Begum was first elected to represent the provincial Scarborough Southwest riding in the Ontario Legislature in 2018 and has served as the deputy leader of the opposition and NDP critic for public transit. She also served as co-chair of the Scarborough Health Coalition and vice-chair of Warden Wood Community Centre prior to being elected in the Ontario Legislature.

“I understand the priorities of our community, and at this crucial moment for our country, I believe we must come together to build a stronger, more united, and more prosperous Canada,” Begum said in a Feb. 3 statement.

Blair represented the federal riding of Scarborough Southwest since 2015, and is also a former Toronto police chief. He held several cabinet portfolios under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, including border security and public safety.

He served as as defence minister from 2023 until May 2025. Carney kept Blair in his post when he formed his first cabinet in March 2025, but removed him in May 2025 after winning the election. He was replaced by current defence minister David McGuinty.

The Liberals also announced on Jan. 31 that family physician Danielle Martin will be the party’s candidate in the upcoming federal byelection for the University-Rosdale riding in Toronto. This riding has been vacant since Jan. 9 when former Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland accepted a role as an adviser to the Ukrainian government.

Byelections

The other federal parties have not announced candidates for either the Scarborough Southwest or the University–Rosedale ridings so far.

Carney has yet to call a byelection for either riding. Elections Canada said in a Jan. 9 news release that the byelection for the University-Rosedale riding must be announced between Jan. 20 and July 8. Byelections must be held on a Monday, with a minimum interval of 36 days and a maximum of 50 days from the date of the byelection announcement.

Elections Canada has not yet published a similar news release for the Scarborough Southwest riding.

Both the Scarborough Southwest and the University-Rosedale ridings are considered Liberal strongholds.

The Liberals are down to 169 seats in the House of Commons, which is three seats away from the 172 needed to form a majority government, despite two Conservative MPs crossing the floor to join the Liberals last year. The Liberals held 171 seats before Blair and Freeland’s departures.

Paul Rowan Brian and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.