Radio Waterloo spoke with the candidates for the Waterloo riding as the 2025 Ontario provincial election, scheduled for February 27 draws closer.
We’ll be releasing a series of four pieces, each highlighting our interview with one of the candidates. We’ve included the Ontario Liberal, NDP, Green and New Blue parties. The Ontario Progressive Conservative party did not respond to repeated requests for an interview.
Today’s piece features the NDP candidate for the Waterloo riding, Catherine Fife. Fife has held Waterloo’s seat since 2012 and is in her fourth term as MPP.
Fife shared her thoughts on what she feels are the top issues in Waterloo, how she and her party plan to address them. She also spoke about what the tariff threats coming from the United States could mean for this community and her party’s stance on addressing them.
The views expressed in this program are not necessarily those of the Radio Waterloo Board of Directors, volunteers, sponsors, or advertisers.
All candidates in Waterloo Region were invited by e-mail, the party’s online contact form, or on social media. Some have declined to participate, others have not responded.
Brooklin Wallis, NDP candidate for Kitchener Centre, came into the CKMS-FM studio to talk to voters on Wednesday 19 February 2025. She was accompanied by her campaign manager, Alex Loop.
The views expressed in this program are not necessarily those of the Radio Waterloo Board of Directors, volunteers, sponsors, or advertisers.
All candidates in Waterloo Region were invited by e-mail, the party’s online contact form, or on social media. Some have declined to participate, others have not responded.
The views expressed in this program are not necessarily those of the Radio Waterloo Board of Directors, volunteers, sponsors, or advertisers.
All candidates in Waterloo Region were invited by e-mail, the party’s online contact form, or on social media. Some have declined to participate, others have not responded.
Jeff DonkersgoedJeff Donkersgoed, NDP candidate for Kitchener South — Hespeler, came into the CKMS-FM studio on Tuesday 18 February 2025 to talk to the voters.
The views expressed in this program are not necessarily those of the Radio Waterloo Board of Directors, volunteers, sponsors, or advertisers.
All candidates in Waterloo Region were invited by e-mail, the party’s online contact form, or on social media. Some have declined to participate, others have not responded.
Jodi SzimanskiJodi Szimanski, NDP candidate for Kitchener — Conestoga, came into the CKMS-FM studio on Tuesday 18 February 2025 to speak to the voters.
The views expressed in this program are not necessarily those of the Radio Waterloo Board of Directors, volunteers, sponsors, or advertisers.
All candidates in Waterloo Region were invited by e-mail, the party’s online contact form, or on social media. Some have declined to participate, others have not responded.
CKMS News – 2023-08-17 – Greenbelt accountability, “Ford Fest”, and byelection campaigning: Interviews with Debbie Chapman and Aislinn Clancy
By: dan kellar
Since Mid-January of 2023, following the resignation of NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo, the riding of Kitchener Centre has been without representation in the Ontario legislature. While not disrupting the balance of power in government, the conservatives deemed the by-election will occur in January 2024, the maximum time allowed by the Elections Act for the seat to remain empty.
Currently, there is no candidate for the Conservative Party in the byelection, while the NDP are running Debbie Chapman, and the Liberal Party is represented by Kelly Steiss. On September 8th, in the adjacent Waterloo riding, which is held by the NDP’s Catherine Fife, Doug Ford held the political outreach and fundraising event “Ford Fest” at Bingemans.
Bingemans also borders the Kitchener Conestoga riding which is held by PC MPP Mike Harris Jr., who welcomed Ford Fest into the Region, telling CKMS News in a statement:
“Ford Fest is a free, non-partisan community event hosted by Ontario’s Ford family.”, and, Harris added “Ford Fest offers a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with their elected representatives.”
In a piece released by CKMS News on September 8th, Waterloo Regional Labour Council president Jeff Pelich spoke about why folks were heading to protest at Ford Fest. You can listen to that whole interview at radiowaterloo.ca/news
Today’s show will feature interviews with Clancy and Chapman about Ford Fest and the conservative government, the upcoming by-election and what issues their campaigns are focusing on, and the growing calls for accountability around the Green Belt scandal. Both the NDP and Green Party candidates said the lands removed from Greenbelt protection should be immediately returned to their protected status. The liberals have also called for the Green Belt lands to be returned and for accountability for the actions of the conservatives..
Since the interviews, the conservatives have announced the sites will be “re-evaluated”.
In response to calls for Ford to step down over the Green Belt scandal MPP Harris told CKMS News that the conservative government will continue with their plan to build homes on “non-sensitive” Green Belt lands claiming this was “requested by many municipalities”. Harris concluded: “I want to emphasize that, under the continued leadership of our Premier, our Government will prioritize addressing the housing crisis, ensuring more people have a place to call home.”.
Ford Fest, usually a once a year political outreach event, hosted by the Ford family and primarily held in Etobicoke, has had its reach expanded this summer after Doug Ford took the BBQ on the road to Scarborough, Windsor, and in the evening on Friday September 8th, to Bingemans, a park in Kitchener. There was a by-election in the Scarborough—Guildwood riding shortly after the Scarborough event and there will be a by-election in Kitchener-Centre in January of 2024.
Protests are planned at the entrances and outside the venue where Ford Fest is to take place. Bingemans is in the Waterloo riding, which is held by the NDP’s Catherine Fife, and the property borders the Kitchener-Centre riding, and the Kitchener Conestoga riding which is held by PC MPP Mike Harris Jr. One of the groups organising a protest at Ford Fest is the Waterloo Regional Labour Council. CKMS News spoke with Jeff Pelich, the president of the Labour Council about the many grievances Ford will face from the public at Ford Fest, including the anger over the Green Belt development plans, the cost of food and housing crises, and the underfunding of public services such as education and health care.
CKMS recently spoke with both Clancy and Chapman about Ford Fest and the Conservatives, and both have called Ford Fest a distraction from the growing Green Belt scandal and for Ford to take accountability, return the Green Belt lands, and step down.
For the full interviews with Chapman and Clancy, visit radiowaterloo.ca/news
When contacted by CKMS News for comment on Ford Fest in Kitchener, the office for MPP Harris sent a statement from Harris which included “Ford Fest is a free, non-partisan community event hosted by Ontario’s Ford family.”, and Harris added “Ford Fest offers a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with their elected representatives.”. Harris then reminded folks that the event is free, and will include food, concluding “so bring the kids and come hungry!”. No comment was given before this piece first went to air on the calls for Ford to call a full public Inquiry or to resign over the Green Belt land deals..
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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.
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