The provincial riding of Carleton includes communities such as Manotick, Metcalfe, Osgoode and Stittsville, as well as a large portion south of Ottawa as far as Vernon. The riding has a long-time history of voting progressive conservative. On Election Day, February 27, 2025, you make the decision as to who will be best to represent the Carleton riding.
Stittsville Central reached out to four provincial candidates in Carleton riding (Green, Liberal, NDP and P.C.) asking each for their responses to the same seven questions. Each candidate and party has differing ideas about what is important, how to spend our tax money, and how to solve problems. You need to decide what is important to you, what you think is best for the Carleton riding, and which candidate and political party you align with most.
It must be noted that George Darouze of the P.C. Party of Ontario and Brandon Bay of the Ontario Liberal Party did not respond to our questions.
NDP candidate for Carleton and Stittsville resident, Sherin Faili, took the time out of her busy schedule to respond to our questions as follows:
1. Can you provide residents with background information on yourself and why you would be the best choice to represent Carleton at Queen’s Park?
Throughout my career I’ve worked in the Public Sector, Private sector and for myself. My degree in Social Science has led me through a career in the areas of Human Resources, Policy and Planning. I am choosing to run as your Carleton Candidate because I feel that we have lost trust in our government and with good reason. For years we have been made promises by the PCs in this riding and they have not delivered on key issues that remain in the forefront of residents concern today. Simply put, I am the best choice to represent Carleton because I will bring a no nonsense, people first approach to addressing any issues at Queens Park. We’re always being asked to support our leaders and though I understand the importance of that, my responsibility is to you, and to be your voice at Queens Park. I come to you as a concerned resident, we share many of the same services and experiences in Carleton, you can trust you will get straight no non-sense answers from me and my local office if elected.
2. The forefront concern – Healthcare. Would you and your party push for funding and support of the proposed Kanata Stittsville Health Hub to be located in Stittsville on Maple Grove Road? As well as support increased health care needs (doctors, nurses, RPNs, etc.) and health programs overall?
Absolutely, any elected representative should address and support healthcare, but beyond that I know you can trust me to follow through on my support for you on smart initiatives such as the Health Hub proposed on Maple Grove. I will bring to this position personal passion for our Healthcare needs in Carleton. The proposed hub in Kanata-Stittsville is an excellent solution for our area. Dr. Ferrier who made this proposal has had great success with a similar hub in Perth. Having a family doctor that knows you and has your history is important in maintaining our health, and giving us the choice to approach our health in our own fashion. Beyond the need to address our basic health concerns, I believe in offering more health programs. Facilitating access to some common issues through your Pharmacist alleviates unnecessary trips to the walk-in. However we have to keep in mind, there are diverse needs within our communities that make up this riding and we can’t ignore that some people don’t have the same access and opportunity to travel to a clinic and I would like to address and find creative options to support the needs of those residents as well. The NDP will ensure every Ontarian has a family doctor, with our Family Health Guarantee.
3. Environment – Would you and your party support the protection of wetlands, biodiversity and climate change by reversing anti-environment changes made by the provincial government and reinstating the powers of Conservation Authorities?
I’m not sure which “anti-environment changes” we are referring to so I will address the second part to this question regarding the 36 Conservation Authorities in Ontario mandated to protect our water, land and natural habitats. Focusing on programs that balance human, environmental and economic need. It is important for us to support our environment, we rely on it and it relies on us to make smart choices in our everyday routines. The NDP will ensure an abundant supply of reliable and affordable energy, towards a legislated target of achieving a net-zero economy no later than 2050. We will make evidence-based and cost-effective investments in clean energy and efficiency from a mix of non-emitting sources, storage and conservation. We will complete long-planned priority transmission investments to deliver abundant clean energy to expanding industries, such as auto manufacturers and greenhouse growers.
4. Social Services – What has your party committed in dollars to provide funding and social supports (i.e. ODSP, Ontario Works) to Ontarians, including financial support for food banks and municipal emergency housing.
The NDP has committed to double social assistance rates for ODSP and OW to get people out of deep poverty and boost the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit program to help more people move out of shelters into homes freeing up shelter beds in the process.
5. Housing/Rentals – What would your party do to improve the housing crisis and affordability in Ontario? Also add a comment on your thoughts regarding the rent control/evictions situation.
To help with housing affordability, the NDP will establish Homes Ontario to provide grants, low-cost financing, public land and other resources to help non-market, non-profit and co-op housing option that will increase the supply of affordable non-market priced homes. Our plan will build or acquire 300,000 new units of housing over the next decade, making more affordable housing accessible. It is important for us to ensure laws that are in place to protect our Tenants in Ontario are enforced properly and that evictions are valid according to the law and legal.
6. Post-Secondary Education – Recently, Algonquin College announced that it is closing 37 programs. With this loss, many students will be affected when choosing a career path; with faculty and staff losing their positions. What would your party do to support additional funding to colleges and universities to assist in the loss of funding due to the fact that foreign student admissions are being decreased?
In addition to the decrease in foreign student admissions, another contributing factor was the lack of interest in some of the programs. This lack of funding and programming isn’t just an issue at the post- secondary level. Under the Ford government we’ve faced cuts in Education, which have affected options to our students at the Secondary Level when planning their post-secondary choices. We’re talking about our future Leaders, Doctors, Nurses, Electricians….I mean how can you “build a better Ontario” when you are neglecting Education? How can you address the economy without addressing the People? I bring personal passion to this topic and I will support putting money back into our educational programs.
7. As you knock on doors and attend events – What is the issue or issues that you hear as being the most important for the riding of Carleton?
Most of what I have heard has surrounded healthcare in some capacity. Some were concerned with the lack of preventative healthcare options, some with access to specialists, healthcare needs for our Seniors and almost everyone I’ve met is on a waitlist for a family doctor. People are concerned with the rising cost of bills and uncertainty for the economy, many of you have lost trust in your leaders and government. Our concerns are all valid, I share the same concerns. That is one of the main reasons I chose to run in this election, in hopes to bring your trust back into your elected representatives.
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The Ontario Green Party candidate, Mystic Plaunt, did not respond, but the Party did reply with information and links to their platform. “They aren’t available for media responses or appearances in this election. We’d direct you to our platform here. You can also see recent releases on certain issues here. GPO socials can also be followed here for recent statements as well. With thanks for your interest!” – The Ontario Green Team.
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The amount of question-dodging has reached new levels in this provincial election. Not responding to questions is each candidate’s own way of informing voters. To find out details as to where to vote, what ID is required and the candidates in Carleton, visit Elections Ontario.