Hello, Doly!

#onpoli loses its collective mind

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A JAW-DROPPER OF A TUESDAY IN POLITICS — Ontario NDP deputy leader DOLY BEGUM set off shockwaves at Queen’s Park by crossing floors and jurisdictions to run for the federal Liberals in the upcoming byelection in Scarborough Southwest, triggering major blowback among her former benchmates and beyond, as well as a provincial byelection in a riding where all three leading Ontario parties would be competitive.

Sure, Scarborough Southwest has been provincial NDP territory for the last three electoral rounds, but before that it was a Liberal bastion, and before that, it belonged to the PCs.

Byelections are wild cards, too — there’s generally lower voter turnout compared to a general, especially if this happens in the summer, so it could be anybody’s game. Wannabe provincial Liberal leader and federal backbencher NATE ERSKINE-SMITH, who reps neighbouring riding Beaches-East York, is taking his chances and already throwing his hat into the ring (more on that momentarily).

Premier