Election 2022: Unexpected twists in Chatham-Kent—Leamington race

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By: Trevor Terfloth, Chatham Daily News

This is one in a series of profiles of ridings across the London region ahead of the June 2 provincial election:

THE RIDING

Formerly known as Chatham-Kent-Essex, and renamed in 2012 redistribution, the riding includes all of the former Kent County south of the Thames River, along with Chatham and Essex County’s Leamington. Agriculture, manufacturing and food processing rank among the region’s main economic drivers.

ELEPHANT(S) IN THE ROOM

There are two — for both the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals, making the race a regional must-watch. The Tories, running Leamington civic politician Trevor Jones, had booted the riding’s 11-year MPP, Rick Nicholls, from their caucus for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccination, only to watch him run this time for a rival upstart party on the political right.

The Liberals — in a riding that produced a cabinet minister for them a generation ago — entered the campaign with no candidate, then found one, Alec Mazurek, then turfed him after anti-gay slurs he posted to Facebook as a teen emerged, then subbed in a last-minute replacement, Audrey Festeryga. She withdrew days later, amid NDP allegations that signatures gathered for the booted candidate’s nomination papers were recycled for her. Bottom line? One of the Big Three parties has no would-be MPP behind the name on the ballot, and another is trying to defend the riding without the name recognition advantage that a legislature veteran brings to the race.

HOTTEST ISSUES

Issues surrounding affordability and inflation loom large in the riding, as elsewhere in Southwestern Ontario. The soaring cost of housing is putting home ownership beyond the reach of many.

The future of health care and long-term care are other concerns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wind power, a controversial issue in past elections in the riding that’s home to many giant wind turbines, still draws flak, especially in an area of ​​North Kent where some residents are concerned that vibrations from the wind towers have affected well-water quality.

Flooding and erosion along the riding’s Lake Erie shoreline, and the high cost of tackling that, is another major issue.

WHO’S RUNNING

  • (WITHDRAWN) Audrey Festeryga, Liberal
  • Trevor Jones, P.C.
  • Rhonda Jubenville, New Blue
  • Brock McGregor, NDP
  • Rick Nicholls, Ontario Party*
  • Jennifer SurerusGreen

*MPP in last legislature

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