Breaking

SCOOP: Hafiz and Jackson team up to box out Erskine-Smith

They’re calling it “Scarborough First.” Plus: Here’s how many card-carrying Liberals will be eligible to vote in the nomination contest.
Ahmad Elbayoumi
May 4, 2026

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.

Before we dig in, a quick word: This week, we’re celebrating our second birthday! Since that first send, we’ve churned out hundreds of issues, landed plenty of scoops and built a must-read at Queen’s Park every Monday morning. None of this work would be possible without you, dear readers, who rely on us each week to navigate the Pink Palace with clarity that doesn’t spare egos.

Whether you’re reading on the commute, forwarding it to your boss, or ringing me at 8 a.m. to set the record straight, your support has kept us independent, growing — and just annoying enough to the right people. I’m grateful you’re here.

Not subscribed? Use code “POLICORNER25” before Friday to save 25% on your first year.


THE LEDE

SCOOP — Two candidates in the heated Liberal nomination contest in Scarborough Southwest are privately encouraging their supporters to rank the other as their number-two choice on the ballot, in a push to send Nate Erskine-Smith home empty-handed on Saturday.

__wf_reserved_inherit
Erskine-Smith out with supporters. A source says the campaign is feeling “confident” in his numbers.

The informal deal between Ahsanul Hafiz, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), and former candidate Qadira Jackson — hammered out through intermediaries — was described by several sources in and around each campaign, granted anonymity to discuss strategy they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. Neither candidate responded when reached for comment.