Claire Seaborn, a well-known figure on Parliament Hill, is gearing up for a new political endeavor as she sets her sights on becoming a Member of Parliament. Seaborn, a prominent Bay street lawyer and former chief of staff to Jonathan Wilkinson during the Trudeau administration, plans to compete for the Liberal nomination in the Beaches-East York constituency in Toronto.
Expressing her commitment to the community, Seaborn stated, “I have been encouraged by numerous respected individuals in Beaches-East York. In this critical juncture for our nation, I firmly believe that our community’s voices and values must be effectively represented in Ottawa.”
With a legal practice specializing in environmental law and infrastructure projects, Seaborn contributes as an expert adviser to the Canada Climate Law Initiative and holds a senior fellowship at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Public Policy & Global Affairs. Previously, she held key roles in the Liberal government, serving as director of policy and legal affairs to Catherine McKenna, the former minister of infrastructure and communities, and later as chief of staff to Jonathan Wilkinson during his tenure as minister of energy and natural resources.
Having departed from Parliament Hill in April 2024, Seaborn currently practices law at Torys LLP. Emphasizing her allegiance to the Liberal party, she remarked, “I am a proud Liberal. I am attentive, hard-working, and adept at accomplishing significant tasks.”
A native of East Toronto, Seaborn resides in the constituency with her husband and two children. While the official nomination process has yet to commence, the riding has been represented by Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, the departing Liberal MP since 2015. Erskine-Smith recently delivered his farewell speech in the House of Commons, expressing gratitude to his constituents and family for their unwavering support during his 11-year tenure. A farewell celebration is scheduled in the riding for Erskine-Smith on June 25.
Erskine-Smith contemplated a leadership bid for the Ontario Liberal Party but faced a setback after losing a crucial nomination race in Scarborough Southwest in May. Despite lodging complaints of irregularities and appealing the decision, his appeal was ultimately dismissed. While several federal byelections are on the horizon, most seats are yet to be vacated. Notably, Wilkinson and Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay have officially resigned their seats, and Erskine-Smith, Cathay Wagantall, Alexandre Boulerice, and Steven Guilbeault have all announced their upcoming resignations.