# Doly Begum

Doly Begum MPP (Bengali: ডলি বেগম) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election. She represents the riding of Scarborough Southwest as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. At 29, Doly Begum was the youngest New Democrat among the party's caucus and is the first Bangladeshi-Canadian to be elected to a legislative body in Canada.

## Early life

Begum was born in the Moulvibazar District of Bangladesh. She immigrated to Canada as a child with her family, and was raised in Scarborough, Ontario, attending W. A. Porter Collegiate Institute in the Clairlea neighbourhood of Toronto.
Thereafter, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in political science, and a Master of Arts in development, administration and planning from University College London. Prior to her candidacy, she was Co-Chair of the Scarborough Health Coalition, Vice-Chair of Warden Woods Community Centre, a research analyst at the Society of Energy Professionals, and was the chief coordinator of the province-wide Keep Hydro Public campaign.

## Career

In the 2018 Ontario general election, Begum ran as the New Democratic candidate for the Scarborough Southwest riding. The riding has a large immigrant population, constituting 45% of the riding's population, with Bangladeshi Canadians accounting for 16%. She won the riding with 46% of the vote, defeating 15-year Liberal incumbent Lorenzo Berardinetti, becoming the first Bangladeshi Canadian to be elected to a legislative body in Canada.
As of August 11, 2024, she is the Official Opposition critic for Immigration Services and for International Credentials. Prior to that, she served as the Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship, Foreign Credentials and Immigration Services. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Opposition Whip from August 2019 to February 2021, the Critic for Early Learning and Childcare from August 2018 to February 2021 and a Member of the Standing Committee on Social Policy from July 2018 to October 2019. Her critic portfolio changed to Immigration Services, and International Credentials following the 2022 Ontario general election.
In 2020, Begum introduced a private member's bill that would mark June as Filipino Heritage Month. The bill passed its final reading and received Royal Assent on May 20, 2021, officially proclaiming June as Filipino Heritage Month in Ontario.
On July 13, 2022, Begum was named a Deputy Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, alongside Sol Mamakwa.

## Election results

vte2025 Ontario general election: Scarborough Southwest :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Doly Begum | 14,557 | 42.89 | –4.79 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Addie Dramola | 10,400 | 30.65 | +3.05 |
| | Liberal | Qadira Jackson | 7,786 | 22.94 | +4.38 |
| | Green | Mark Bekkering | 1,194 | 3.52 | –0.02 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 33,937 | 99.31 | ±0.00 |
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 235 | 0.69 | ±0.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,172 | 41.96 | –2.38 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 81,434 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | –3.92 |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||
vte2022 Ontario general election: Scarborough Southwest :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Doly Begum | 16,842 | 47.68 | +2.02 | $103,194 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Bret Snider | 9,750 | 27.60 | −3.62 | $67,267 |
| | Liberal | Lisa Patel | 6,556 | 18.56 | −0.38 | $65,227 |
| | Green | Cara Brideau | 1,251 | 3.54 | +0.84 | $2,506 |
| | New Blue | Peter Naus | 383 | 1.08 | | $609 |
| | Ontario Party | Barbara Everatt | 320 | 0.91 | | $0 |
| | None of the Above | James McNair | 114 | 0.32 | −0.19 | $0 |
| | Independent | Michelle Parsons | 110 | 0.31 | | $0 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 35,326 | 99.31 | +0.42 | $112,311 |
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 247 | 0.69 | −0.42 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,573 | 44.34 | −8.85 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 79,624 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | +2.82 |
| Source(s) "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023."Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. |||||||
vte2018 Ontario general election: Scarborough Southwest :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Doly Begum | 19,835 | 45.66 | +22.09 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gary Ellis | 13,565 | 31.22 | +10.25 |
| | Liberal | Lorenzo Berardinetti | 8,228 | 18.94 | –30.99 |
| | Green | David Del Grande | 1,174 | 2.70 | –1.37 |
| | None of the Above | Allen Atkinson | 222 | 0.51 | N/A |
| | Libertarian | James Speirs | 195 | 0.45 | N/A |
| | Special Needs | Willie Little | 160 | 0.37 | N/A |
| | Trillium | Bobby Turley | 64 | 0.15 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 43,443 | 100.0 |
| | New Democratic notional gain from Liberal | New Democratic notional gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +5.92 |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||

## Personal life

Begum was married to Bangladeshi-Canadian lawyer Rizuan Rahman until his death from cancer in September 2024.