With seven of eight ridings painted red in the 2015 federal election, and Ottawa Centre MP and regional minister Catherine McKenna serving in the high-profile environment post, it’s safe to say the city of Ottawa is currently a Liberal stronghold.
Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre, Ottawa’s only Conservative incumbent heading into the Oct. 21 federal election, seems to inhabit a lonely blue island on the south side of the city.
But widen the focus to the broader National Capital Region and adjacent parts of Eastern Ontario, and today’s electoral map acquires more of a two-tone appearance. The four Quebec ridings nearest to Ottawa are solidly Liberal, but there’s a great swath of blue from the Upper Ottawa Valley to the St. Lawrence River that encompasses four sprawling, mostly rural ridings — and leads to plenty more Conservative seats moving westward towards Ontario cottage country.
Still, out of the 22 House of Commons seats available from roughly Peterborough to the Ottawa-Gatineau region, the Liberals have a commanding 16-6 advantage over their Conservative rivals.
With those two parties and their respective leaders, Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer, in a neck-and-neck battle to form the next government after the Oct. 21 election, Capital Current profiles these 22 federal ridings and asks: Will the Liberal grip on power — locally and nationally — hold? Will the blue wave witnessed in the June 2018 Ontario election wash across Eastern Ontario in October, or will Conservative Premier Doug Ford’s sagging popularity drag the federal Tories down? Can the Jagmeet Singh-led New Democrats (who previously held McKenna’s downtown Ottawa seat) or Elizabeth May’s Green party make serious inroads in the region? Will the Bloc Québecois or ex-Conservative Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party have any impact in and around the national capital?
Liberals’ Marie-France Lalonde holds riding vacated by ex-MP Andrew Leslie
ELECTION NIGHT UPDATE: Liberal candidate Marie-France Lalonde took the seat by a wide margin over runner-up Conservative contender David Bertschi and third-place finisher Jacqui Wiens of the NDP. The riding was previously held by Liberal MP Andrew Leslie, who decided not to seek re-election. Residents of the Orléans riding now know who will carry the Liberal standard in the federal…
Liberal Anthony Rota defeats Tory challenger Jordy Carr
The Liberal incumbent will be hard to beat in this riding near North Bay.
Tory veteran Cheryl Gallant easily earns seventh term
Cheryl Gallant is seeking her seventh term as an MP in the Oct. 21 federal election.
McGuinty wins sixth race, extends Liberal dynasty
Liberal David McGuinty is seeking a sixth term as the federal MP for Ottawa South.
Catherine McKenna holds off NDP rival Emilie Taman
Ottawa Centre features a race that includes Catherine McKenna, the environment minister.
Liberal Maryam Monsef narrowly defeats Tory
Liberal incumbent and cabinet minister Maryam Monself is battling Tory Michael Skinner for the second time in Peterborough-Kawartha.
Liberal incumbent re-elected with huge victory over rivals
Pontiac has changed hands in each of the past three elections. Liberal William Amos hopes to break that by keeping the West Quebec riding.
Eric Duncan retains seat vacated by fellow Tory
It’s a clean slate for the federa race in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.
Anita Vandenbeld re-elected over Conservative contender
There are seven candidates seeking the Ottawa West-Nepean riding.
Mona Fortier extends long Liberal winning streak
Mona Fortier is running to keep the Liberal record intact in Ottawa-Vanier.
Liberal Chandra Arya defeats Tory challenger
The relatively new Nepean riding is expected to see a tough battle between the Tory and the Liberal incumbent.
Tory Michael Barrett wins solidly in mostly rural riding
The Tories have a strong hold on the Eastern Ontario riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.