What comes next?

Causing good trouble for the rest of this Parliament.

If you’ve followed me at all, you know that I believe politics to be one of the most important ways to make a difference.

It’s why I left an early career as a commercial litigation lawyer to run in a Liberal nomination back in 2013-14. It was a bit of madness at the time, but I wouldn’t trade the last 10 years for anything else. It can feel a bit like pushing boulders up hills, but I’ve also had my share of success in shaping policies and making a difference.

I spent a considerable part of last year trying to build a foundation for making an even bigger difference, running for the Ontario Liberal leadership. We came close. In the end, we lost 53.4% to 46.6% on the third ballot.

It was tough to lose a closely contested leadership race. A strange mixture of feelings resulted: pride in the principled, progressive, ideas-based campaign we ran, gratitude for our amazing team across the province (including so many new people to the party and politics), relief that I get to spend more time with my wife and young kids, and disappointment that we missed an incredible opportunity to make a difference.

Those of us who put our names and faces on everything (politicians and real estate agents?) all have an ego to some degree, but I’ve never been entirely comfortable when the crowd chants my name (though “Nate” does make for a better chant than “Nathaniel Erskine-Smith”).

Because it isn’t really about me. I’m only successful thanks to an overwhelming number of people who stand behind and alongside me. Especially my family, of course. But in a leadership race, there are just so many people who stand with you. In losing, it can feel like one has let those people down, though I know that they don’t feel that way.

If there’s any lesson from the race, it’s that there are many people out there who want the same politics that I do: one of ideas, independence, and integrity.

So what now? What comes next?

Being the MP for Beaches-East York is the best job that I will ever have. It’s given me the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of so many people, to show that politics can be done differently, and to serve my home community.

I will be forever thankful to everyone who put their trust in me and helped to make change with me.

All of that being true, I also love my family more than anything and I plan to stay closer to home after this current parliamentary session. It will be time for someone else to step up and serve Beaches-East York after the next federal election.

I'm not sure what the future holds for me beyond that, and I’ll be looking for new opportunities to make a difference.

In the meantime, I’ll continue to serve and cause good trouble in Ottawa for the remainder of this Parliament.

I’ll also aim to write more often, sharing thoughts on current issues, reflections on the last 10 years, and ideas for those who may be interested in getting involved. I’ll also continue to host the Uncommons podcast.

If you have ideas for issues to raise in Ottawa or questions/topics you’d like me to address here on this Substack, reach out anytime at info@beynate.ca.