Ottawa Centre voters will have eight candidates to choose from on Oct. 19.Joining NDP incumbent Paul Dewar are Dean T. Harris (Libertarian Party), Damian Konstantinakos (Conservative Party), Catherine McKenna (Liberal Party), Tom Milroy (Green Party), John Akpata (Marijuana Party), Conrad Lukawski (Rhinoceros Party) and Stuart Ryan (Communist Party). The deadline for nominations was Sept. 28.
John Akpata
John Akpata, 43, spent his grade school years in Windsor, Ont. At 17, he joined the Canadian Forces Reserves rising from the rank of private to sergeant in The Essex and Kent Scottish reserve infantry regiment. Akpata also studied history at the University of Windsor after high school, part time from 1991 to 1994.
In his mid 20s, Akpata moved from Windsor to Ottawa, to transfer into Carleton University, where he earned an honours English literature degree. Akpata also took up spoken word poetry while at Carleton. He has since released five spoken word albums and performed internationally.
This is Akpata’s fifth time running as a Marijuana Party candidate. He began as the Ottawa South candidate in the 2004 federal election. In 2005, Akpata switched to the Ottawa Centre riding where he’s been the Marijuana Party candidate ever since.
Akpata is also very active outside of politics. For the past 12 years he has been the programmer and host for Monday Night Scribes on CHUO 89.1, a one-hour weekly broadcast featuring the work of writers, MC’s and poets.
He also works as an art educator, teaching writing and poetry performance at the high school, college and university levels.
Outside of work, Akpata enjoys playing guitar, riding his bike and botany.
Conrad Lukawski
Conrad Lukawski, 22, spent his first 21 years in Windsor, Ont. In 2010, he attended the University of Windsor where he studied computer science. Lukawski left university after two years to co-found a small start-up called BlockStock.ca, an online, localized stock photography company.
In January 2014, Lukawski took on a new role as the director of information technology and development for Wireless Warehouse of Canada, a mobile phone shop and repair service.
About a year ago, Lukawski moved to Ottawa to work as a software developer for Vector Face, a company specializing in web development, social gaming and software development.
The first-time candidate says the Rhinoceros Party stands for traditional Canadian values. Lukawski says he plans to make government fun again if elected.
“I’m going for the disenfranchised voter that may be isn’t paying attention to politics. I don’t know if you’ve looked at my party at all, but we’re a little more of, trying to have fun,” Lukawski says.
Prior to the Rhinoceros Party, Lukawski says he volunteered for Liberal candidate Richard Pollock during the 2004 federal election in the Windsor West riding.
To get exercise, Lukawski enjoys longboarding, not only for fun, but also for commuting to work. He also spends time reading programming books and graphic novels.
Stuart Ryan
Stuart Ryan, 67, was born and raised in Port Hope, Ont., until high school when his family moved to Kingston. He attended Queen’s University, completing a bachelor of arts in political science and sociology in 1970.
For the six years after university, Ryan worked at a factory in Windsor making hydro transmission towers. He left the job to earn a bachelor of journalism degree from Carleton University.
Since 1983, Ryan has been working at Carleton as a representative for CUPE 4600, the union for teaching assistants and contract instructors.
This will be Ryan’s fifth time running for the Communist Party in a federal election. His hope is to raise working class issues and push a people’s agenda. To achieve this, Ryan suggests his party would create dramatic changes to the country’s economic policies if in power. “Putting working class people first, so getting out of all of the corporate free trade deals and nationalizing energy and the banks,” he says.
Ryan’s interest in politics took off in May 1968 while he was living in France. It’s where he experienced a student revolt, a general strike and opposition to the Vietnam War. “I realized we were fighting a war, Vietnam. It became a general strike over power, workers power.”
Since moving to Ottawa, Ryan has also been involved with several community groups including No War, a network opposing war and racism. He is also a member of Solidarity Against Austerity, a group of community, labour, peace, environmental and anti-poverty activists.
Beyond activism and his day job, Ryan sings bass in the Just Voices community choir, and he has a second-degree black belt in Shotokan karate.
Other candidates were profiled in the Sept. 24 issue.