Get to know your candidates in the Kitchener Centre byelection

The writ has been dropped for a byelection in Kitchener Centre.

The seat has been vacant since former NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo resigned earlier this summer citing childcare challenges.

Voting for the byelection will take place on Nov. 30.

CTV News reached out to all of the candidates to find out why they’re running and what they hope to accomplish as the MPP for Kitchener Centre.

Debbie Chapman – Ontario NDP

Debbie Chapman for the Ontario NDP.

Debbie Chapman has served on Kitchener City Council for almost five yearsas councillor for Ward 9 and teaches at Wilfrid Laurier University. She also has public sector experience, volunteered as the president of the Cherry Park Neighbourhood Association,and was a delegate for the Waterloo Regional Labour Council.

Why are you running?

I’m running because I’ve been a city councillor for five years in downtown Kitchener, Ward 9. I’ve watch how our powers have been stripped away from us. Never did I aspire to be an MPP but I just feel I could be more useful sitting at Queen’s Park with the official opposition, rather than sitting here in Kitchener and feeling muted.

What do you bring to the table if you were elected?

Some of the things I’ve been frustrated with as a city councillor are things like the inclusionary zoning bylaw that the province brought in which has to do with affordable housing, and what [Premier Doug Ford’s] government did was butcher the whole bylaw in such a way that it would never provide affordable housing, which is what we really need across the province. Affordable housing is a big issue for me. There are so many things we can do to bring that housing stock back, by bringing in rent controls on all houses across the spectrum, also bringing in reno-viction legislature that would make it more difficult for landlords to reno-vict people. We have a homelessness problem in a way that we haven’t before. Measures like that can help mitigate that problem and to get people housed. And of course, we need to ensure that there’s money available to the lower-tier municipalities, like [Waterloo Region] and the city to actually create affordable housing. That has to come from the province and right now that’s not coming down. Housing has been my biggest concern in my tenure at city hall and I would to make sure that I could focus on that. Healthcare is another big thing that I’m concerned about. [A two-tiered health care system] is a slippery slope. Once you start privatizing health care services, then there’s no going back.

How do you think your time as a city councillor will help you as MPP?

It’s fundamental. I feel like I’m far more well-versed in all the different aspects that we were required to look at municipally. Municipalities are creatures of the province. That knowledge would carry me over into the provincial level with great ease. I’m also a political scientist, so I’ve taught courses on urban politics and all sorts of politics. The engagement with students and just talking about these topics, and helping me learn more from them and them from me, it has been a very rewarding experience.

Aislinn Clancy – Green Party of Ontario

Aislinn Clancy for the Green Party of Ontario.

Aislinn Clancy is Ward 10 councillor for the City of Kitchener and is also the deputy leader of the Ontario Greens.

Why are you running?

In 2018, Doug Ford got his first majority and went on a rampage in the first few days. He cancelled $500 million in renewable energy projects, he cut funding to child and youth not-for-profits. He fired the child and youth ombudsman, which is the advocate for kids in care. These are things I care deeply about – it crushed me. As a way to channel my hurt, frustration and shock, I got involved in [Green Party MP] Mike Morrice’s campaign. It’s been empowering to see what he could accomplish as our Green MP. I really want to be that voice for Kitchener Centre at Queen’s Park.

What do you bring to the table?

As a former school social worker, I’ve been journeying with folks for decades. With newcomers, people with disabilities, poverty, housing, food security and complications within the school system. I think people need an education worker at Queen’s Park. I’ve done a lot of work looking into our housing issues locally, supporting people who are facing reno-viction and eviction, fighting homelessness, and really sticking up against these systemic issues that are adding the word ‘crisis’ at the end of everything. We need change now, so people have a roof over their heads, and a liveable planet.

How are you preparing for the byelection?

We are working. We started back in May. We don’t take anything for granted. We want to make sure every voter has a chance to share with us what they need from our riding, what they need for their voice at Queen’s Park. We have an amazing group, over 300 volunteers. We’ve knocked on almost 50,000 doors, knocking on them again so folks can connect with us and be a part of this. We are so ready. We see the support that Mike Morrice has, and people who have voted Green and had a Green sign, we see the difference that makes. In the last two years [residents] have voted Green and NDP. I think the folks that voted for me as their ward councillor, they see the difference a Green voice can make. I think the old line parties have had a lot of time and they’re struggling in different ways. I think that people see that Greens bring hope, they bring positive solutions. We’re here to bring connection and caring to politics.

Rob Elliott – Ontario Progressive Conservative Party

Rob Elliott has experience in the transportation and government sectors. He’s also a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University.

CTV News has reached out to Rob Elliott with an interview request but have not yet received a response.

Kelly Steiss – Ontario Liberal Party

Kelly Steiss for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Kelly Steiss has over two decades of experience in municipal government. She has also been on the Board of Directors for the Focus for Ethnic Women and Independent Living Waterloo Region, as well as the president for the Waterloo Rotary Club and a member of the Mayor’s Task Force for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Why are you running?

I have had the privilege of serving the City of Kitchener for well over 21 years and I have been so proud to be able to connect with residents. It made sense for me to take my leadership skills, my community experience skills, and my passion to serve to the next level. There’s some to work to be done provincially and I’m happy to step forward to do that.

Is there something specific that you would want to change?

I’m looking forward to the Liberal party forming government in 2026. So this is really the entry for us to get there, and we’re seeing that momentum. When I’m at the doors, time and again, I’m hearing about affordability. Whether that’s ‘how do I get to my doctor?’... but also ‘how am I going to afford to stay and live here?’ We need to pay attention to that. I had one woman the other day, I was knocking at her door before the election was called. I said: ‘Hey, I’ll be back when the election is called.’ And she said: ‘Kelly, I might not be here.’ That broke my heart because that is not the Ontario that we want, that is not the region we want. We need a representative in Kitchener Centre who knows about those issues and is prepared to speak to that, but who is also prepared to work collaboratively and bring people together. I can do that.

What do think the chances of the riding changing from NDP to Liberal?

I think our chances are good. We are poised to win this. We have a leadership race coming up where we have four fabulous candidates and any one of them will serve our province well. We have just won two byelections in the province. One in Scarborough-Guildwood, which we thought was pretty good, but Kanata-Carlton, my goodness. We took that. For me that indicates we have great momentum, that the people of Ontario are turning their attention back to us. I think we are doing things right. We needed two elections to tell us we weren’t, but you know what? We’re now paying attention. I’m so proud to stand for the Liberals in this election. Democracy is important, but it requires participation.