Prominent federal election candidates include journalists, activists

By: Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press Posted: 3:00 AM CDT Monday, Apr. 7, 2025

OTTAWA - Candidate nominations for the federal election close today at 2 p.m. ET. Here's a look at some of the high-profile candidates now in the race.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

OTTAWA - Candidate nominations for the federal election close today at 2 p.m. ET. Here's a look at some of the high-profile candidates now in the race.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

OTTAWA – Candidate nominations for the federal election close today at 2 p.m. ET. Here’s a look at some of the high-profile candidates now in the race.

Municipal politicians

Sooke, B.C. Mayor Maja Tait is running for the NDP in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke. Colin Plant, municipal councillor in Saanich, B.C., is running for the New Democrats in Saanich-Gulf Islands.

Amarjeet Sohi, a former federal minister and current mayor of Edmonton, is running for the Liberals in Edmonton Southeast, while former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson is representing the Liberals in Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby. John-Paul Danko, a city councillor in Hamilton, Ont., is running for the Liberals in Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas.

Helena Konanz, a Penticton, B.C. city councillor, is running as a Conservative candidate in Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay.

Kingston and the Islands features a battle of the mayors, with current Kingston mayor and Conservative candidate Bryan Paterson facing off with his mayoral predecessor Mark Gerretsen, the incumbent Liberal MP.

Provincial politicians

The NDP has multiple former provincial politicians running under its banner, including former MLA Lisa Roberts in Halifax, and former Ontario NDP MPPs Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre), Bhutila Karpoche (Taiaiako’n — Parkdale—High Park) and Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain).

Former Quebec finance minister Carlos Leitão is running for the Liberals in Marc-Aurèle-Fortin.

Jeremy Nixon, the former provincial seniors and social services minister in Alberta, is running for the Conservatives in Calgary Confederation. Former British Columbia cabinet minister Mike de Jong is running as an Independent in Abbotsford-South Langley after the Conservatives did not chose him as their candidate.

Former MPs

Former MPs Ruth Ellen Brosseau (Berthier — Maskinongé), Raymond Côté (Beauport—Limoilou), François Choquette (Drummond), Djaouida Sellah (Honoré—Mercier) and Ève Péclet (Outremont) are running for the NDP.

Former MPs running for the Liberals include Stephen Fuhr (Kelowna) and Rémi Massé (Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup — Kataskomiq — Témiscouata).

Ryan Leef, who represented Yukon as the Conservative MP from 2011 to 2015, is running for the Conservatives in the riding again, while former MP Paul Manly is running for the Green Party in Nanaimo—Ladysmith.

Journalists

Ex-journalists in the race include Trisha Estabrooks, a former Edmonton school board trustee and journalist who is running for the NDP in Edmonton Centre, and Anthony Germain (Terra Nova—The Peninsulas) and Evan Solomon (Toronto Centre), who are running for the Liberals.

Radio host Greg Brady is running for the Conservatives in Ajax and Alexis Deschênes, a lawyer and former journalist, is running for the Bloc Quebecois in Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj.

Activists and community leaders

Nathalie Provost (Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville) — spokesperson for the group PolySeSouvient and survivor of the École Polytechnique massacre — and Chi Nguyen (Spadina—Harbourfront), former head of Equal Voice, are both running as Liberals.

Anne-Marie Zajdlik, founder and medical director of an HIV/AIDS clinic in Guelph, Ont., is running for the Green Party in Guelph.

Other interesting candidates

Priti Obhrai-Martin (Calgary East), daughter of the late Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai, New Brunswick musician David Myles (Fredericton—Oromocto), Brad Fournier (Edmonton West) — who worked for Rona Ambrose’s campaigns and says he had a “Coming to Carney” moment — and former grand chief of the Cree Nation government in Quebec Mandy Gull-Masty (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik — Eeyou) are all running for the Liberals.

Garry Keller, senior adviser to former prime minister Stephen Harper and chief of staff to Harper cabinet ministers Ambrose and John Baird, is running for the Conservatives in Nipissing—Timiskaming. Ellis Ross, former chief of the Haisla Nation, is the Conservative candidate in Skeena—Bulkley Valley.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2025.