Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing Liberal candidate Heather Wilson preparing for second run-in with NDP incumbent

In 2015 Liberal party candidate Heather Wilson fell 2,500 votes short of ousting the NDP incumbent in the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding. 

"I've been listening and working very hard since then, and I know that people are still supporting the Liberal party here," she said.

Wilson has lived in the riding for the last 25 years, and raised her family there. 

The last successful Liberal in the riding was Brent St. Denis, elected in 2006. He held the seat for 13 years before being ousted by current seat-holder Carol Hughes of the NDP. 

The riding's 80,000 inhabitants are stretched out across 93,000 sq. km. The gap between the province's rural and urban communities is something that Wilson recognizes as an issue. She says that the people of the north deserve the same economic opportunities and access to services as citizens of large cities. 

While some parties are more heavily focused on the economy, or environmental issues, Wilson says that the Liberals bring a balance between the major federal parties.

'The economy needs to be supported, social services need to be supported, as well as supporting businesses and getting people working, and also supporting green initiatives in the environment as well," she said.  

When asked if she had any specific issues, close to her heart that she hopes to address, Wilson said that often times northern Ontario gets drawn into southern issues, "but I know that northern Ontario has specific issues, and they need specific solutions to address those issues."

"I have a master's degree in gender equality and social justice, so I am interested in the way that not only women, but all residents of northern Ontario access and utilize services specifically for northern Ontario," she said, adding that she would work very hard to ensure that people in northern Ontario get the services they need.

Investing in apprenticeship and training programs is also high on her priority list. 

"It's very important to get people in jobs that are already here, so investing in that way," she says, "is the way to do that."

Wilson has been reaching out to voters across the whole riding, she says. 

"I'm knocking on doors every day, I listen to people every day, and I think that knocking on doors is the best way to hear what people are specifically concerned about"