Toronto Centre

Toronto Centre is a downtown Toronto riding covering much of the city's urban core, and at just under six square kilometres it is the smallest federal riding in Canada by area. The by-election was called after Bill Graham, the Liberal MP and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defence, resigned effective July 2, 2007, after announcing he would not seek re-election and wished to spend time with his family and focus on his role as chancellor of Trinity College at the University of Toronto.

Candidates

Bob Rae (Liberal) — Rae was a former Premier of Ontario who had served as NDP leader of the province from 1982 to 1996 and premier from 1990 to 1995. He subsequently left the NDP and joined the Liberal Party, running for the federal Liberal leadership in 2006. He won the Liberal nomination in Toronto Centre in March 2007 and was immediately appointed to the shadow cabinet as Foreign Affairs critic.

El-Farouk Khaki (NDP) — Khaki was a refugee and immigration lawyer and human rights activist. Born in Tanzania, he had won the NDP nomination in Toronto Centre in April 2007.

Chris Tindal (Green Party) — Tindal was the Green Party candidate who had also run for the party in the 2006 general election in the riding. His campaign established the first-ever Green Party campaign office in Toronto Centre.

Donald Meredith (Conservative) — Meredith was nominated as the Conservative Party's candidate in December 2007 for the by-election.

Other candidates included Liz White (Animal Protection Party) and Doug Plumb (Canadian Action Party).

About the Riding

Toronto Centre encompasses a dense urban core including portions of the financial district east of Yonge Street, Cabbagetown, Regent Park (Canada's first public housing development), St. James Town (one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Canada with a large immigrant population), and the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood. The riding also includes Toronto Metropolitan University (then known as Ryerson University).

The riding's population of approximately 121,000 is exceptionally diverse in terms of income, with luxury condominiums in the financial district contrasting sharply with social housing in Regent Park and St. James Town. The riding contains significant immigrant communities and a wide range of cultural institutions, theatres, and commercial establishments along Yonge Street and in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

The economy is dominated by financial services, government, education, health care, and cultural industries. The riding has been a Liberal stronghold for decades, with the party holding the seat continuously since 1993.