Doly Begum

Biography

Doly Begum is the Liberal Member of Parliament for Scarborough Southwest in Ontario. She was elected to the House of Commons in the April 13, 2026 by-election, becoming the first person of Bangladeshi origin to serve as a Member of Parliament in Canada.

Born in the Moulvibazar District of Bangladesh, Begum immigrated to Canada as a child with her family and was raised in Scarborough, attending W. A. Porter Collegiate Institute in the Clairlea neighbourhood. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts in development, administration and planning from University College London.

Before seeking office, Begum was co-chair of the Scarborough Health Coalition, vice-chair of the Warden Woods Community Centre, and a research analyst at the Society of Energy Professionals, and she served as chief coordinator of the province-wide Keep Hydro Public campaign.

In 2018, Begum was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough Southwest, becoming, at 29, the first Bangladeshi-Canadian elected to a legislative body in Canada. During nearly eight years at Queen’s Park, she served as critic for early learning and childcare, deputy opposition whip, and critic for immigration services and international credentials. She sponsored the legislation that proclaimed June as Filipino Heritage Month in Ontario, which received Royal Assent in 2021, and from 2022 she served as a deputy leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party.

In February 2026, Begum resigned her provincial seat to run for the federal Liberal Party in Scarborough Southwest, and she won the by-election that April. She now represents her home community in Ottawa, building on years of advocacy for the people of Scarborough.