The "Durham" riding in Ontario, Canada, witnessed yesterday, Monday, the start of the federal by-elections, to choose the successor of the former Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole who vacated his seat.

Erin O'Toole previously held the position of Official Opposition leader from August 2020 until February 2022, and left his seat in Parliament last spring. He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2012.

During this by-election, Jamil Jivani, a lawyer and political commentator, is running for the Conservative Party to replace O'Toole, while Robert Rock, a consultant in Scugog, Ontario, was nominated by the Liberals.

Initially, Robert Rock sought the Conservative Party nomination, but later decided to run for the Liberals, because he believes that the Conservative Party no longer represents the values he believes in.

The New Democratic Party announced the nomination of Chris Burgia, Chair of Labour Council in the Durham area, to represent them in this by-election.

It is worth noting that the "Durham" electoral district, which includes part of the city of Oshawa in Ontario, has been represented by the Conservatives since 2004, reflecting the political stability enjoyed by the Conservative Party in this area over the past many years.