Candidates hit the campaign trail in Windsor—Tecumseh

The race to represent the Windsor—Tecumseh riding southwestern Ontario in the next session of Parliament is underway.

Incumbent Liberal candidate Irek Kusmierczyk and the NDP candidate, former MP Cheryl Hardcastle, were knocking on doors Tuesday, talking to potential voters in the riding. 

There currently are no candidates from the Green or Conservative parties in the riding.

The local Conservative riding association says a candidate will be named at a later date. The People's Party has nominated Victor Green, Laura Chesnik is running for the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada, and James Wray is running for the Rhino Party.

Kusmierczyk said a large number of families he's spoken with are concerned about child care, affordable housing, infrastructure investments and jobs. 

"I think a lot of folks are talking about the recovery and building back better. Those are really the main issues a lot of folks are talking about at the door." 

On Sunday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requested Parliament be dissolved, which triggered a snap election. Political candidates have until the Sept. 20 voting day to appeal to voters. 

As of 2019, there were 95,004 registered voters in the Windsor—Tecumseh riding. Hardcastle was defeated by Kusmierczyk that year after serving one term in office. The election was decided with a margin of just 642 votes.

'Hit the ground running'

Prior to the last election, the NDP had held onto the riding for over two decades. Hardcastle hopes to win it back. 

"I hit the ground running regardless of who's in the race."

Following two years of a minority Liberal government, Hardcastle said the NDP should have more of a say in Ottawa. 

"If it wasn't for the NDP, we wouldn't have any of the supports that we needed. So you do need us to stand up for people." 

She said the NDP can bring things that the other parties have not delivered on.

"Pharmacare, health care, dental care, elder care, child care. These are promises that keep coming up to entice voters at election time but they're not the things that we see any follow through on, except from the NDP." 

Kusmiercyzk brought up the pandemic when pressed on his party's decision to call a snap election.

"The challenges that we're facing and the opportunities as well as coming off a pandemic requires a strong government that's going to be able to deliver strong programs that Canadians need, Canadian workers, families, seniors, businesses," he said.

"That's why we're going and asking for Canadians' opinions at this time."