Federal Election 2019: Liberal incumbent Bill Blair wins second term in Scarborough Southwest

By KAITLYN SMITH

Liberal incumbent MP Bill Blair has been re-elected as MP in Scarborough Southwest in Monday’s federal election.

With all 196 polls reporting, Blair had 28,640 votes (for 57.2 per cent of the vote).

In second was Conservative Kimberly Fawcett Smith with 10,421 votes (for 20.8 per cent of the vote).

In third was NDP candidate Keith McCrady with 7,800 votes (for 15.6 per cent of the vote).

In fourth was  Green Party candidate Amanda Cain with 2,428 votes (for 4.8 per cent of the vote).

In fifth was Italo Eratosene,  People’s Party of Canada, with 584 votes (for 1.2 per cent of the vote).

In sixth was Simon Luisi, of the Animal Protection Party of Canada, with 233 votes (for 0.5 per cent of the vote).

Blair spoke to his supporters at the Qssis Banquet Hall at Kingston and Markham roads on Monday, Oct. 21, night thanking them for their hard work during the campaign.

“I cannot tell you how proud I am to be part of the Liberal team and how proud I am to work for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,” he said.

Though the Liberals did not win a majority government, they did win the most seats in Monday’s federal election.

“He has demonstrated his commitment to all of the diverse people of our country, and as I look around this room I understand his commitment to the diversity of this country,” Blair said.

“I’d like to thank, first, the voters of Scarborough Southwest for putting their confidence in me and our team,” he said. “It’s an extraordinary community. I feel like they’ve given me a strong mandate to continue working over the next four years for the community.”

Just recently retired as Toronto Police Chief, first-time Liberal candidate Blair beat NDP incumbent Dan Harris in the 2015 election.

Blair won in 2015 with 52.47 per cent of the vote, while Harris finished second with 23.73 per cent of the vote.

Prior to Harris’ election in 2011, the riding had been Liberal since 1988.

Tom Wappel was the Liberal MP for Scarborough Southwest from 1988 to 2008.

Liberal Michelle Simpson then held the riding from 2008 to 2011, when she was defeated by Harris of the NDP.

The riding’s boundaries are Victoria Park Avenue to the west, Markham Road to the east, Lake Ontario to the south and Eglinton Avenue to the north.

According to Elections Canada, there were 78, 246 registered voters in Scarborough Southwest and 50,106 of them cast ballots for a voter turnout of 64.04 per cent.

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