What you need to know about Waterloo region's candidates in this federal election
Election day is Monday, Sept. 20
Election day isMonday, which means votersin Waterloo region who haven't already cast a ballot at an advance pollor by mail can head to an in-personfederal election polling station.
To help people understand their candidates and the issues, CBC Kitchener-Waterloo hasbrought the coverage ofissues important to readers and listeners into one spot for voters.
For more information on each of Waterloo region's five ridings, click on theriding below to go to that section:
During this campaign, we also heard from many voters about the top issues important to them. You can read and view more in the VoterVoicesection of this story.
CBC K-Walsoexplored other issues important to readers. Find them in the Other Stories section.
Cambridge
The candidates in Cambridge, listed alphabetically by last name as they would appear on the ballot,are:
- Green party:Michele Braniff.
- NDP:Lorne Bruce.
- Conservative:Connie Cody.
- Liberal: Bryan May (incumbent).
- People's Party: Maggie Segounis.
Watch the panel for Cambridge candidates:
Since its creation in 1979, the riding has largely been held by Conservatives. Progressive Conservative Chris Speyer was the first MP for the riding, holding the seat from 1979 to 1988 when he was replaced by Progressive Conservative Pat Sobeski, who held the seat until 1993.
In 1993, Liberal Janko Peric won the riding and held the seat until 2004. That's when Conservative Gary Goodyear won the seat. Goodyear served as MP until 2015 when May was elected.
In 2011, Goodyear won the seat with 53.4 per cent of the vote and was followed by the NDP candidate who had 27.68 per cent of the vote. May also ran that year, coming in third with 15.05 per cent of the vote.
In 2015, May was elected with 43.17 per cent of the vote, just ahead of Goodyear who had 38.65 per cent. The NDP came in third with 13.87 per cent of the vote and the Greens had 3.23 per cent.
The riding has changed boundaries a few times, sometimes to include sections ofthe south part of Kitchener. The last change was in 2015 when the riding of Kitchener South-Hespeler was created. It currently includes the city of Cambridge, North Dumfries Township and part of Brant Township.
Read more:
- Cambridge: Get to know this riding and its candidates
- Available and affordable housing a top concern in Cambridge this federal election
- Kitchener, Ont., man charged after Justin Trudeau threatened during campaign stopin Cambridge
Kitchener Centre
The candidates in Kitchener Centre, listed alphabetically by last name as they would appear on the ballot,are:
- People's Party: Diane Boskovic.
- Green Party:Mike Morrice.
- Animal Protection Party:Ellen Papenburg.
- Conservative: Mary Henein Thorn.
- NDP:Beisan Zubi.
The Liberal incumbent, Raj Saini, dropped out of the raceafterallegations of unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate commentswere made public.Sainidenied all the allegations as "unequivocally false" but said he would no longer be running.
Watch the panel for Kitchener Centre candidates:
The seat was most recently held by Liberal Raj Saini, who took the seat in 2015. That year, he beat incumbent Conservative Stephen Woodworth, with 48.78 per cent of the vote to Woodworth's 30.36 per cent of the vote.
Woodworth held the seat from 2008 to 2015. In 2008, he beat then-Liberal MP Karen Redman, whohad been the MP for the riding in 1997, when she beat the Progressive Conservative's John Reimer.
The riding was created in 1996 from parts of two other ridings: Kitchener and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Read more:
- The race to win Kitchener Centre: Why this riding might just be the most interesting in Canada
- Kitchener Centre: Get to know this riding's candidates, their priorities, voters and top issues
- Climate crisis needs immediate action, candidates in Kitchener Centre say
- Embattled Liberal candidate Raj Saini ends bid for re-election
- Raj Saini's name stays on the Kitchener Centre ballot after scandal ends his bid for re-election
Kitchener-Conestoga
The candidates in Kitchener-Conestoga, listed alphabetically by last name as they would appear on the ballot,are:
- Green Party:Owen Bradley.
- People's Party:Kevin Depuis.
- Conservative Carlene Hawley.
- Liberal: Tim Louis (incumbent).
- NDP:Narine Dat Sookram.
Watch the panel for Kitchener-Conestoga:
This will be an interesting race to watch.LiberalTim Louis beat Conservative Harold Albrecht in 2019 by a narrow margin, 20,480 votes to 20,115.
Albrecht had been the MP since 2006.
In 2015, Albrecht narrowly defeated Louis when there was a 251 vote difference between them.
Albrecht won the 2011 election with 54.12 per cent of the vote.
Prior to 2004, the riding was split up between Waterloo-Wellington, Kitchener Centre and Cambridge. Waterloo-Wellington was held by Liberal Lynn Myers from its creation in 1997 to 2004.
Read more:
- Kitchener-Conestoga: Get to know this riding and its candidates
- Kitchener-Conestoga candidates say they'll speak up for local infrastructure, climate change
Kitchener South-Hespeler
The candidates in Kitchener South-Hespeler, listed alphabetically by last name as they would appear on the ballot,are:
- NDP:Suresh Arangath.
- Marxist-Leninist Party:Elaine Baetz.
- People's Party: Melissa Baumgaertner.
- Liberal: Valerie Bradford.
- Conservative: Tyler Calver.
- Rhinocros Party:Stephen Davis.
- Independent:C.A. Morrison.
- Green Party:GabeRose.
The most recent MP for Kitchener South-Hespelerwas Marwan Tabbara. Tabbara was elected as a Liberal, but became an independent in 2020 after he left the Liberal party following being charged with assault, break-and-enter and criminal harassment. Tabbara chose not to run in this election.
Watch the panel for Kitchener South-Hespeler:
This riding wascreated in 2015. The first MP was Marwan Tabbara, who won the 2015 and 2019 elections.
In 2019, Tabbara beat Conservative candidate Alan Keeso 20,986 votes to 17,480. It was a similar race in 2015, when Tabbara beat Conservative candidate Marian Gagn 17,544.
The boundaries include the part of Cambridge that is north of Highway 401 and a section of Kitchener east of Fischer-Hallman Road and south of the Conestoga Parkway, Fairway Road and Kossuth Road. The riding stretches east to Townline Road.
Read more:
- Kitchener South-Hespeler: Get to know this riding and its candidates
- Kitchener South-Hespeler candidates discuss how to handle local opioid crisis
Waterloo
The candidates in Waterloo, listed alphabetically by last name as they would appear on the ballot,are:
- NDP:Jonathan Cassels.
- Liberal: Bardish Chagger (incumbent).
- People's Party:Patrick Doucette.
- Conservative: Meghan Shannon.
- Green:Karla Villagomez Fajardo.
Watch the panel for Waterloo:
Waterloo is the most historic riding in the region. It was created in 1966 when the ridings of Waterloo North and Waterloo South which includes all of Waterloo region were broken up into smaller ridings.
Between 1993 and 2015the riding was split into Waterloo-Wellington and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Liberal Bardish Chaggerhas heldseveral cabinet positions, including most recently the minister of diversity,inclusion and youth. Shewon in 2019 with 48.8 per cent of the vote. Chagger first won the seat in 2015 over Conservative Peter Braid. Chagger won that election with 49.7 per cent of the vote.
Braid had held the seat from 2008 to 2015. He won in 2008 over Liberal Andrew Telegdi, who was the MP for the riding from 1997 to 2008.
Prior to Telegdi, Progressive Conservative Walter McLean was the MP from 1979 to 1993. From 1968 to 1979 the seat was held by New Democratic Party MP Max Saltsman.
Before 1968, the riding was part of Waterloo North. It was largely held by Liberals, including the very first MP who was Isaac Erb Bowman and also William Lion Mackenzie King from 1908 to 1911.
But Conservative Joseph Seagram also served as MP between 1896 and 1908 as did William George Weichel, who beat Mackenzie King for the seat and held it from 1911 to 1917. Weichel went on to become mayor of Waterloo.
Read more:
- Waterloo: Get to know this riding and its candidates
- Waterloo riding federal candidates on what integrity in government means to them
VoterVoice
During this election, CBC K-W asked voters to share what their top concerns were and what they wanted to hear from candidates.
In an online survey, the top concern mentioned was climate change, but other issues raised included the econony, the COVID-19 pandemic, housing, healthcare including pharmacare and dental care, Indigenous issues and integrity in government.
CBC K-W visited St. Jacobs Farmers' Market. You can watch that video here:
CBC K-W also held four voter panels in the weeks leading up to the election. You can watch those here:
Read more:
- COVID recovery, climate change top election issues for youth, 1st-time voters in region
- Climate change, affordable housing and child care: top issues for federal voters
- Think about local issues when knocking on doors, these voters tell candidates in Waterloo region
- Lack of vision for Canada, specific details a problem in federal election, these voters say
- Economy, climate change and what these voters are waiting to hear in this election
Other local stories of interest
During this federal election campaign, CBC K-W explored manyissues that may be of interest to voters still making a decision on how to vote for on Monday, Sept. 20.
Read more:
- 'Make our own representation': BIPOC, LGBTQ volunteers on why they're involved in federal election campaigns
- Waterloo region group aims to increase representation of visible minorities in political office
- Transit, infrastructure, affordable housing among Waterloo region mayors' top federal election issues
- Urgency over climate crisis makes this federal election feel different from even 2 years ago: UW prof
- Gun violence in Waterloo region should prompt election discussion on gun control: Doctor
- Aggression on campaign trail in Waterloo region a 'disturbing', but not uncommon trend
- As possible fall election looms, many voters in Waterloo region are still undecided
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