John Tory Jr. wants to be Member of Parliament for Beaches-East York
The 47-year-old aviation executive would replace Nate Erskine-Smith in the event of a nomination race
John Tory Jr., a son of former Toronto mayor John Tory, is in pursuit of the federal Liberal nomination in order to become Member of Parliament for Beaches-East York.
The 47-year-old aviation executive would replace outgoing MP Nate Erskine-Smith in the event of a nomination race.
“Yes! I’m proud and excited to put myself forward as a nomination candidate,” Tory Jr. told CityNews.
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Despite his family’s Conservative affiliations, Tory identifies as Liberal, telling TVO, “I have known myself, and my friends and family have known me to be a Liberal for a long time.” He cited health care and the public school system as areas that would benefit from Liberal leadership.
As for the inevitable nepo baby discourse, Tory told TVO that his dad has passed down valuable wisdom, even if their politics don’t entirely align. “My father’s been an adviser to me throughout my life. He’s somebody who understands a lot about politics, and he gives me the same advice that I think he gives to other people, which is just to say that it’s really about how sure I am in what I’m saying, and in my message, and in what I’m trying to do,” Tory Jr. explained. “It’s not about what he may have done. I think he’s proud of the fact that his time in public service has inspired one of his children to put their name forward and seek elective office, and to try to make a difference.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney could decide to appoint a candidate, eliminating any need for a race, but that remains to be seen.
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Carly Lewis is a journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times and the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Wired, Interview Magazine, Pitchfork, Elle, and Maclean’s, where she is a contributing editor. Her work has been recognized by the National Magazine Awards and the Digital Publishing Awards. She reports on city life, culture—including what people do online—politics, art and crime. She received the Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award for “The Murder of Ashley Wadsworth,” an investigative feature about a Canadian teenager who was killed by a man she met on social media, published by Maclean’s.
