Doly Begum wins Scarborough Southwest for Liberals in federal byelection, helps secure majority government

By MATTHEW STEPHENS

As the new federal representative for the Scarborough Southwest riding, Doly Begum helped secured the Liberal Party another seat in the House of Commons after a resounding electoral victory in Monday’s byelection.

“Tonight, we celebrate something so powerful. Not just this incredible campaign, but a community coming together, putting aside their differences to choose hope, compassion, and progress,” Begum told an enthusiastic crowd from the podium of the Qssis Banquet Halls at Kingston and Markham roads on the night of Monday, April 13.

In a landslide victory, Begum secured 20,114 votes (69.9 per cent of the total votes), followed by Diana Filipova of the Conservative Party with 18.4 per cent (5,300 votes); Fatima Shaban of the NDP with six per cent  (1,714 votes); Pooja Malhotra of the Green Party with 2.5 per cent (711 votes); Independent candidate April Francisco with 1. 5 per cent (432 votes); Peter Koubakis of the People’s Party of Canada with 0.9 per cent (265 votes); David Vedova of the Christian Heritage Party with 0.5 per cent (142 votes); and Lyall Sanders of the Centrist Party with 0.3 per cent (100 votes).

Begum’s victory – alongside Danielle Martin, newly elected Liberal MP for University-Rosedale – has now propelled the Liberals into a majority government position, bringing the party’s total seats at the House of Commons to 174 including the byelection in Terrebonne, Quebec, which was also won by the Liberals.

During her victory speech, Begum championed the Scarborough Southwest residents who made her election possible.

“Scarborough Southwest, through this campaign, I have heard directly from you. Your stories, the families working hard to make ends meet. The seniors who built our community but now cannot afford to live in it. The young people who wonder if they can build their future here,” said Begum.

“Tonight, you have given me a new mandate. You entrusted me to fight for you, and that is exactly what I will do.”

Begum assured supporters that she would strive to advocate for “better transit and infrastructure,” in Scarborough Southwest, and prioritize “people over politics.”

“Because that’s what makes us Canadian: our shared commitment to human rights, to equality, to diversity, and to the rule of law. This is a critical moment for all of us, for our country.”

Now a federal Liberal, Begum had served as Scarborough Southwest’s MPP since 2018 under the New Democratic Party (NDP) and worked as a Deputy Leader for the Ontario NDP and the Opposition at Queen’s Park.

Back in February, Begum announced she would be running in the byelection to fill the vacant seat left by the former Liberal MP Bill Blair, who stepped down to become Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

In the closing remarks of her speech on Monday, Begum referred to her shared values with Prime Minister Mark Carney and his vision for the country.

“As Mark Carney, our prime minister says, ‘Hope is not a plan, and nostalgia is not a strategy,’” said Begum.

“That means we cannot stand still. We have to do the hard work of building. Building a country where opportunity is real, where dignity is protected, and where every single person has a fair chance to succeed.”

While Begum celebrated at Qssis, NDP candidate Shaban was with a group of supporters in MEXITACO at Victoria Park and St. Clair avenues.

While they finished third in the byelection, Shaban said the federal NDP in Scarborough Southwest was up for the challenge of the campaign and fighting for justice and equality.

“We had an amazing campaign and so many volunteers. It built up momentum and my thanks to the volunteers who worked so hard and we know we can move the needle in this riding,” said Shaban. “The volunteers are the campaign. They are the real-deal orange and they believe strongly in democracy and fairnesss. I felt so much love and support from inside and outside the riding, and I’m so grateful to the volunteers who worked above and beyond for the campaign.”

Shaban also commented on the decision by Begum to leave the Ontario NDP and run federally for the Liberals.  “People have a right to change their minds and do whatever is right by themselves as long as they can get up and look themselves in the mirror, so this is not for me to say.”

When asked if she might run for the NDP again in Scarborough Southwest in the provincial byelection that will have to be called before September to fill Begum’s now vacant MPP seat, Shaban said she would not comment.

Beach Metro Community News also briefly attended the campaign event for the Conservative Party in Scarborough Southwest at the Tara Inn on Kingston Road with the hopes of interviewing and taking some photos of candidate Filipova. However, our reporter/photographer was told by a person holding Filipova signs that it was a “closed” event.

RESULTS

Doly Begum – Liberal – 20, 114 votes, 69.9 per cent.

Diana Filipova – Conservative – 5,300 votes, 18.4 per cent.

Fatima Shaban – NDP – 1, 714 votes, 6 per cent.

Pooja Malthotra – Green Party – 711 votes, 2.5 per cent.

April Francisco – Independent – 432 votes, 1.5 per cent.

Peter Koubakis – People’s Party of Canada – 265 votes, 0.9 per cent.

David Vedova – Christian Heritage Party – 142 votes, 0.5 per cent.

Lyall Sanders – Centrist Party – 100 votes, 0.3 per cent.

The above are the preliminary results from Elections Canada are with all 188 of the 188 polls reporting.

Voter turnout was reported by Elections Canada at 33.54 per cent for this byelection in Scarborough Southwest.

— with files from Alan Shackleton