Conservative candidate takes early lead in federal byelection in Durham
A lawyer and political commentator running for the Conservative Party of Canada took an early lead in a federal byelection in Durham on Monday night.
Jamil Jivani is vying for the seat left vacant by former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole.
As of 9:30 p.m., Jivani had 738 votes with 24 out of 225 polls reporting. Liberal candidate Robert Rock, a municipal councillor in the Township of Scugog, trails by 372 votes.
The byelection was called in January after longtime representative Erin O’Toole announced his retirement from politics and resigned his seat last year. O’Toole held the riding for the Conservatives for 11 years and also led the party in the 2021 federal election.
CBC’s Power & Politics is hosting a live results special. You can watch it live in this story.
The other candidates running to replace O’Toole include:
- Chris Borgia, New Democratic Party. Borgia is an electrician and labour executive.
- Kevin MacKenzie, Green Party of Canada. MacKenzie is a Catholic school board trustee in Clarington.
- Patricia Conlin, People’s Party of Canada. Conlin is a consultant and leadership trainer.
The full list of candidates can be found here.
The vote comes as public polling suggests Pierre Poilievre’s Tories hold a double-digit lead over the governing Liberals under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Durham, a riding with a mix of suburban and rural areas and roughly 116,250 registered voters, has been a Conservative stronghold for two decades. O’Toole won re-election by at least nine percentage points in 2015, 2019 and 2021.
While Monday’s results won’t shift the balance of power in the House of Commons, they could preview the relative strength of the parties in the critical Greater Toronto Area with a federal election looming next year.
Voters in Durham previously told CBC News that affordability and housing are among their top priorities.
On Monday, voters said it was important to cast ballots in the byelection.
Leslyn Chamberlin said affordable housing is top of mind for her. She added seniors like herself don’t seem to get the “notice” they need.
“It’s very expensive to live anywhere in Canada nowadays,” Chamberlin said.
“If we want Canada to be a good place, we have to let people know how we feel and we can only do that by voting.”
Stuart Buchanan, a resident lived in the riding since 1952, said he is hoping that the byelection will bring about a change. He said he’s pleased that the Liberals and NDP are working on bringing dental coverage to people who need it.
“I’m hoping it’s not Conservative this time around,” Buchanan said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.”
- Do you have questions about this byelection or what it could mean for the next federal election? Send an email to ask@cbc.ca.
Larry Saint-Marie, a local resident, said he voted Conservative. He said he doesn’t know much about the candidate but voted along party lines. He said he is concerned about spending, scandals and inflation.
“Kind of getting tired of that,” Saint-Marie said.
“I’ve always voted. My mother was a returning officer for awhile. It’s been a long standing tradition in my family to always vote and get out there.”
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