Provincial byelection called for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex

Voters in one of the London region’s largest ridings are heading to the polls early next month in a byelection to replace a long-time former Tory MPP and cabinet minister.

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Seven months after Monte McNaughton resigned as MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex and exited politics, the Doug Ford government announced on Wednesday morning that voters will select his successor in the largely rural riding west of London on May 2.

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Ontario’s four main parties – the governing Progressive Conservatives, the New Democrats, the Liberals and the Green Party – all have candidates nominated. They are:

• Alvinston resident Kathryn Shailer, who has a background in post-secondary education, will run under the NDP banner. She’s a mother of two and grandmother of three who ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for a seat on the Lambton Kent District school board.
• The Progressive Conservative candidate will be Steve Pinsonneault, who is a member of Chatham-Kent’s municipal council. He’s also a businessperson and lives in Thamesville.
• Lucan Mayor Cathy Burghardt-Jesson is the Liberal candidate. She’s in her third term as mayor and was Middlesex County warden from 2014 to 2023. She said she plans to take a leave from her mayoral duties once the byelection is called.
• Andraena Tilgner of Lucan will be the Green candidate, party officials announced on Wednesday. A respiratory therapist who works in London, Tilgner is a graduate of Western University and Fanshawe College.

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McNaughton, once considered a possible future leader of the Progressive Conservatives, had held the riding since 2011 until his resignation. Before that, it was held by the Ontario Liberals.

The geographically huge ridings covers an area roughly the same size as Prince Edward Island and has two key urban centers, Wallaceburg in the southwest and Strathroy in the northeast. It’s considered a Tory stronghold, with McNaughton taking anywhere from 45 per cent to 58 per cent of the vote in the four elections he won. At the federal level, the riding has been held by the Conservatives since 2006.

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