Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow rules out run for federal Liberals
Posted February 23, 2024 11:58 am.
Last Updated February 23, 2024 12:00 pm.
Toronto city councillor Josh Matlow says he won’t be seeking the federal Liberal nomination to represent Toronto-St. Paul’s.
In January, Matlow said he was being encouraged to make the leap and said he was giving it “thoughtful consideration.”
But in a social media post released on Friday, Matlow said he didn’t want to uproot his family and was committed to focusing on his work at Toronto city hall.
“After a lot of consideration, I’ve decided not to run for parliament at this point in my life,” he wrote. “I’m excited about this new chapter at city hall, and my focus remains on our city.
“My family is rooted in Toronto and my daughter will only have one childhood, which I’m not prepared to miss,” he added.
Matlow, 48, was first elected to council in 2010 and has been a strong progressive voice at city hall for more than a decade.
He ran for mayor of Toronto in the June byelection triggered by John Tory’s admission of an extra-marital affair but finished fifth in a race won by Olivia Chow.
Matlow considered entering federal politics after former cabinet minister Carolyn Bennett announced last she would be stepping down from the Toronto-St. Paul’s seat she held for 26 years.
Bennett was later appointed Canada’s new ambassador in Denmark by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
