UMVA has learned that Navdeep Bains, a former federal MP and minister under Justin Trudeau, is throwing his hat into the Ontario Liberal leadership race, just days after another contender's appeal was dismissed.
Bains launched his campaign on social media with a 16-second video showing him walking into a classroom, sitting down, and rolling up his sleeves, with a simple message: "Let's get to work." The video was accompanied by a campaign website with a "coming soon" message and links to get involved or donate.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Bains served as the minister of innovation, science and economic development from 2015 to 2021, before leaving politics and working as an executive at CIBC and Rogers. His return to politics has been highly anticipated, with sources indicating that he had already assembled a team for the leadership race.
The Ontario Liberals will select their next leader in the fall, with a ranked-ballot leadership vote online from November 9 to November 20, and the results will be announced at an in-person event the following day. The party has yet to announce the location of the event or details on debates and all-candidate events.
Other contenders have already emerged, including Nathaniel Eskine-Smith, whose appeal of the Scarborough Southwest nomination process was dismissed less than 24 hours before Bains' announcement. Eskine-Smith's odds of winning the leadership bid took a hit after the dismissal, making Bains a strong contender in the race.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Bains' background in politics and industry could make him a formidable candidate. He joined Parliament in 2004 and served briefly as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Paul Martin before losing his seat in 2011. He returned to Parliament Hill in 2015 and spent most of his time as Trudeau's innovation minister.
The leadership race is heating up, with several candidates vying for the top spot. The Ontario Liberals are looking for a new leader after former Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie resigned in January, and interim leader John Fraser has announced he will not seek the full-time gig.
