Here are the candidates running in Cardigan
Largely rural, but Stratford is P.E.I.’s fastest-growing community
Cardigan covers the eastern end of P.E.I.
It runs along the North Shore from the eastern end of P.E.I. National Park to East Point, down to Murray Harbour, and then along the South Shore to the Hillsborough River.
The riding is largely rural but also contains Stratford, the province's third largest and fastest-growing community. Traditionally a bedroom community for Charlottetown, Stratford is increasingly developing retail services of its own and becoming more of an independent town.
Fishing is a major industry, including a tuna fishery out of North Lake. The ferry connecting P.E.I. to Nova Scotia is in this riding, and its continued existence is a long-term federal issue. In 2017, the federal government committed to a new model for operating the ferry service. That transition is still in progress.
Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay has worked as a farmer and in business, but he has been an MP since 1988.
In that time, he has held a number of cabinet posts, including solicitor general, agriculture and labour. He is currently minister of veterans affairs.
He was first elected in Opposition to the government of Brian Mulroney. He served in the governments of Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, and in Opposition to Stephen Harper.
He lives in Midgell.
Michael MacLean, Greens
MacLean lives in Bridgetown, P.E.I., with his wife and young daughter.
He began his career in the non-profit sector before helping establish Victory Stone, a custom stone countertop business.
He previously worked for the former P.E.I. technology industry sector association as well as Veterans Affairs Canada.
Fred MacLeod, Christian Heritage
Fred MacLeod has previously worked as a shop steward and director of the P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees Local 15. He also worked as a peace officer in the highway safety division on P.E.I.
This is his second time running for office. He previously ran in 2019 as the Christian Heritage Party candidate in Charlottetown.
Wayne Phelan, Conservative
Wayne Phelan is an entrepreneur with both local and international experience.
He ran a pub in Japan. Since returning to P.E.I., he has launched an internet company and, more recently, a home security business.
This is his second try at the Cardigan riding. He also represented the Conservatives in 2019.
He lives in Stratford.
Lynne Thiele, NDP
Lynne Thiele was a teacher in Saskatchewan for 30 years, and also taught after moving to P.E.I.
This is her fourth run as a candidate.
She has run three times provincially as well as in the last federal election in Cardigan.
She lives in Stratford.
Kevin Hardy, People's Party of Canada
Kevin Hardy is running in Cardigan for the PPC. As of Sept. 15, the party had only a photo of Hardy on its website along with the wording "A Bio and Picture will be updated shortly."
The PPC was formed in 2018 by former Conservative MP and cabinet minister Maxime Bernier.
Bernier says the PPC is the only national political party speaking against COVID-19 vaccination passports and mask mandates, arguing the party is standing up for freedom of choice.
The party's platform also includes more provincial autonomy, significant changes to the federal equalization plan, a withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords, a streamlined pipeline approval process and finding a private buyer for the Trans Mountain project.
Electoral history
The recent history of the Cardigan riding is all about Lawrence MacAulay.
MacAulay was part of a Liberal sweep of the province in 1988 that ended almost 20 years of Tory dominance at the federal level. He has won 10 consecutive elections since, and is the only one of those 1988 MPs still serving in Parliament.
In 1997 and 2000 MacAulay came within a few hundred votes of losing his seat, but no one has come within 2,000 votes of him since. In 2019 he won 49.4 per cent of the vote, about 4,500 ballots ahead of Wayne Phalen. The Green Party placed third with 13.8 per cent of the vote.
Other ridings on P.E.I.
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