What you need to know about the federal election in the Ottawa area

The Algonquin Times team has been hard at work covering the ongoing federal election in the Ottawa area.

Here’s an overview of some of the ridings in the Ottawa region and what to watch in Ottawa Centre, Ottawa Vanier, Nepean, Ottawa West-Nepean, Carleton, Kanata-Carleton and Glengarry-Prescott-Russell on Monday, Sept. 20.

Listen in to our live radio coverage of election night on CKDJ 107.9 on Monday from 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and follow us on Twitter at @Algonquintimes and @CKDJ1079 or using #acelxn44.

Riding name: Ottawa West-Nepean

Candidates: Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal (incumbent); Yavar Hameed, NDP Party; David Stibbe, Green Party; Jennifer Jennekens, Conservative; David Yeo, PPC

What the Algonquin community should watch for: Look for the Liberals and Conservatives to be close in votes. The COVID-19 vaccination rate and vaccine passports are a big concern for this riding.

Voter’s voices: Rawle Hugh, 60, a resident of Ottawa West-Nepean, is looking to vote for the best candidate who will move Canada forward. “Are we the greatest nation in the world? No. but we’re a lot better than most,” he said. “However, we can be better. So I’m looking for candidates that will project our riding and our country’s best foot forward and get us to where we need to be.”

Adam Smith, 43, is concerned about the economy and jobs. “Those are issues that matter to me the most, especially coming out of this pandemic,” he said. He wants politicians to talk about how businesses are going to be able to reopen and how restrictions will be lifted.

By Kassia Skorzewska and David Green

Riding: Kanata-Carleton

Candidates: Melissa Coenraad, NDP; Jenna Sudds, Liberal; Jennifer McAndrew, Conservative; Scott Miller, PPC; Jennifer Purdy, Green Party

What the Algonquin community should watch for: Kanata-Carleton’s Internet connectivity is a major issue for the residents of Dunrobin and Kinburn, especially with the amount of people who are now working remotely. In Kanata, there are concerns surrounding transportation, specifically aimed at the expansion of Ottawa’s LRT system. Kanata-Carleton’s current MP, Karen McCrimmon, is not seeking re-election, which could make this riding more volatile.

Voter’s voice: Adam Slipacoff, an immigration lawyer based in Kanata North, says that Canada’s political parties should stop using immigration issues as a way to generate votes. “I think all parties have a responsibility to treat this sensitive subject responsibly and not to use it as a political tool, and not to play to their bases, as that would be a disservice to all people in this country,” he said.

By Jeremy Morse, Sevval Kokten and Tamara Condie

Riding: Ottawa Centre

Candidates: Yasir Naqvi, Liberal; Angella MacEwen, NDP; Carol Clemenhagen, Conservative; Angela Keller-Herzog, Green Party; Regina Watteel, PPC

What the Algonquin community should watch for: The riding has been competitive between the Liberals and the NDP since the 80s. The incumbent resigned, giving the NDP a chance to snag the riding. The riding is one of the few in Ottawa that the Liberals potentially could lose and the only riding in Ottawa where the NDP have a realistic chance of winning. The riding will be a good barometer of the popularity of the Liberals among left-leaning urban voters.

Voter’s voice: Anne Racine, 40, who works at uOttawa, said truth and reconciliation is one of the most important issues in the election. “There’s a lot of work to do,” she said. “Being Indigenous, of course that’s going to be important to me. I [also] like the idea of the redistribution of wealth. There’s so much wealth in the world and yet so much homelessness and social issues.”

By Tanner Reil, Julien Bernier and Brett Thoms

Riding: Ottawa South

Candidates: David McGuinty, Liberal (incumbant); Eli Tannis, Conservative; Huda Mukbil, NDP; Chylow Hall, PPC; Les Schram, Green Party; Larry Wasslen, Communist Party

What the Algonquin community should watch for: David McGuinty has been Ottawa South’s MP since 2004. This election for Ottawa South residents will either see McGuinty as a re-elected MP, or another candidate may come up on top for the first time in almost 18 years. Issues within Ottawa South that will be heavily focused on are affordable housing and COVID recovery efforts for larger businesses, small businesses and youth in the area.

Voter’s voice: Sonya Kidd, is a sales associate. “I think [the candidates] need to worry about the frontline workers, the doctors, the nurses,” she said.

By Christina Korotkov, Muna Aden and Andrea Kennedy

Riding: Orléans

Candidates: Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal (incumbant); Mary-Elsie Wolfe, Conservative; Jessica Joanis, NDP; Michael Hartnett, Green Party; Spencer Oklobdzija, PPC

What the Algonquin community should watch for here: Healthcare, support for students and seniors and climate change are all big issues here. In a community with a growing number of retirement homes, community members are concerned about the elderly. Amidst the pandemic, healthcare remains an important topic of discussion this election year. With the river so close constituents can see the impact of climate change firsthand as many homes and bike paths flood due to higher-than-normal river levels each spring.

Voices of voters: “I think it would be neat to see our riding join up with the schools to have more of an Indigenous presence within the schools,” says Zach Wood, 25, an early childhood educator at Forest Valley elementary school.

By Ethan Grove and Gabrielle Nadeau

Riding name: Nepean

Candidates: Chandra Arya, Liberal (incumbant); Matt Triemestra, Conservative; Sean Devine, NDP; Gordon Kubanek, Green Party; Jay Nera, PPC

What the Algonquin community should watch for: How parties plan to tackle the issues surrounding childcare is a significant issue for this suburban riding.

Voter’s voice: The childcare issue is an important one for Hafsah Omar, 19, a Barrhaven-based assistant worker for Dolphin Tales Child Care Daycare in Stittsville. “Funding is important for us to stay afloat and to provide equipment and food for kids,” she said.

Riding: Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry

Candidates: Denis Moquin, Liberal; Eric Duncan, Conservative (incumbant); Trevor Kennedy, NDP; Jeanie Warnock, Green Party; David Anber, PPC

What the Algonquin College community should watch for here: The primary issue for this riding is economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes concerns over affordable housing and daycare and the need for increased workers, climate change, the development of tourism initiatives such as the St. Lawrence Waterfront and the continued development of the area’s agricultural industries. If Duncan wins the riding and the Conservatives win the election, there’s a possibility of a cabinet post.

Voter’s voice: Economic challenges have been accentuated by the pandemic, says Greg Pietersma, the executive director of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. “I think that the most significant one is the shortage of staff, shortage of available skilled and non-skilled labour,” he said.

By Carol Goddard