Ottawa candidates prepare for federal election momentum

Candidates in the Ottawa area are getting ready for the next federal election, even though it hasn’t been officially announced yet. Many have been active on the campaign trail since the recent provincial election. They believe the momentum from that recent vote can help them. Joel Harden, an NDP candidate, recently opened his campaign office. He used the same space that supported Catherine McKenney’s successful provincial campaign. Harden wants to reclaim a seat for the NDP from Liberal incumbent Yasir Naqvi and is eager to get his team back on the ground. Green Party candidate Jennifer Purdy is also putting her recent experience to good use. After running in the provincial election, she feels ready to apply what she learned. She’s excited to campaign in a newly redrawn riding but admits that the quick turnaround can be exhausting. Giovanna Mingarelli, a Liberal candidate running for the first time, gained valuable experience by volunteering for her provincial counterpart. She plans to support her campaign team’s well-being and has set up inviting ways for volunteers to stay engaged, like yoga and meals. Candidates are optimistic about volunteer participation. They agree the pressing issues facing Canada are motivating people to stay involved. Political experts note that the current political climate and close competition between parties are keeping interest high. As election preparations heat up, the Liberals and Conservatives are preparing to announce their candidates for eastern Ontario. Many candidates have been working on their campaigns for months, but as of now, only Kingston and the Islands has candidates from all four major parties officially announced.