Category Archives: 2025 provincial election

08.02.25
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Andrew Lawton uses the occasion of the MP-MPP luncheon to announce the launch of his business advisory roundtables

Normally, events like the MP-MPP Luncheon and Mayor’s Luncheon, hosted each year by the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce, are fairly subdued gatherings.
There was a luncheon a couple of years ago, following the significant land acquisition by the City of St. Thomas, where former Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn dominated the Q&A period, targeting Mayor Joe Preston.
But despite the stifling heat inside the Elgin County Railway Museum this past Monday (July 28), this MP-MPP get-together did have its moments, no doubt the result of the Trump tariffs impacting almost every facet of life as we know it.
The answer to literally all questions directed toward the two participants ultimately referenced the tariffs in some form.

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05.17.25
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Hospice of Elgin will provide ‘Exceptional heartfelt care for individuals and their families at end of life’

With a projected opening later this year, Hospice of Elgin will be a 17,000 sq. ft. one-floor facility at 8 South Edgeware Road in St. Thomas.
It will provide wrap-around care to individuals (and their families) at end-of-life in a welcoming ‘cottage-like’ setting. Hospice is about comfort, quality of life and care. This includes addressing pain and symptoms, while also supporting the psycho-social, spiritual, and practical needs of the individual.
Executive Director Brenda Fleming appeared before city council this past Monday (May 12) to present an update on what is affectionately known as ‘The Cottage.’
She was accompanied by Robert Furneaux, board chair.

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03.29.25
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Indwell’s adaptive reuse of Balaclava Street Public School is ‘a metaphor for life as well’ – Indwell CEO John Neven

“Nobody is better than the City of St. Thomas at being able to make a vision, make it clear, get behind it with an initial investment and then go after and bring along the province and the federal government.”
High praise indeed, and from an individual at home partnering with the city.
Jeff Neven is the CEO of Indwell, a Christian charity dedicated to providing affordable housing and community support, which now owns or operates two housing projects in St. Thomas. Railway City Lofts on Talbot Street above the transit centre and The Station, located on Queen Street.
And on Monday of this week, it was announced that a new supportive housing project is coming to St. Thomas, thanks to that partnership.
The former Balaclava Street Public School will be transformed into 78 units of supportive housing, equipped with essential supports to assist residents.

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03.22.25
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‘You put the constituents first’ – David Goodwin, Liberal Party nominee in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South

By tomorrow (Sunday), we will know when Ontario residents will again cast a ballot, accompanied by the rest of Canada.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to favour an election on April 28.
This will be the first federal vote locally in the new riding of Elgin-St. Thomas-London South.
As a refresher, thanks to the efforts of MP Karen Vecchio, her grassroots campaigning paid off when in February of 2023, the report by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario was tabled in the House of Commons and the boundary adjustment in Elgin-Middlesex-London riding turned out to be far less drastic – and disruptive – than first proposed.

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03.01.25
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‘We create the environment for people to succeed’ – PC MPP-elect Rob Flack

Calling it a great night for himself, his family and the people of Elgin-Middlesex-London, PC MPP-elect Rob Flack (shown below being hugged by MP Karen Vecchio) basked in the adoration of his supporters Thursday night at the CASO station in St. Thomas.
His win in the provincial election – the fifth straight PC win in the riding – was part and parcel of Doug Ford’s third consecutive majority government, something not witnessed since the 1950s.
“We worked really hard,” acknowledged Flack. “Again, we knocked on over 14,000 doors.
“If you really want to learn what somebody thinks or people think, knock on their door and ask them. So we’ve learned that in a big way.”

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02.22.25
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The second EML candidates forum hosted by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture generated plenty of food for thought

As was the case last week with the Chamber of Commerce candidates meeting at the CASO station, only four of the seven individuals seeking to represent Elgin-Middlesex-London at Queen’s Park were on hand this past Wednesday for a similar forum hosted by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture.
A near-capacity crowd filed into the Old Town Hall Theatre in Aylmer for the event.
Rob Flack of the Progressive Conservative Party is looking to win a second term and is being challenged by Doug Mactavish, Liberal Party; Amanda Stark, Green Party; Brian Figueiredo, New Blue Ontario Party; Stephen R. Campbell, None of the Above Party; and Cooper Labrie, Ontario Party.
Amanda Zavitz, the NDP candidate, was not present and announced the following day that she was dropping out of the race. More on that situation is in the item below.

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02.15.25
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ONCE AGAIN A CROWDED FIELD IN THE ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON PROVINCIAL ELECTION RACE

As in the 2022 provincial vote, there is a crowded field of candidates in Elgin-Middlesex-London.
With the deadline for filing nomination papers closed on Thursday of this past week, seven hopefuls are looking to represent the riding at Queen’s Park.
Rob Flack of the Progressive Conservative Party is looking to win a second term.
He will be challenged by Doug Mactavish, Liberal Party; Amanda Zavitz, NDP; Amanda Stark, Green Party; Brian Figueiredo, New Blue Ontario Party; Stephen R. Campbell, None of the Above Party; and Cooper Labrie, Ontario Party.
Four candidates appeared at a forum on Tuesday of this week, hosted by the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.
Zavitz and Stark were unable to attend while Labrie had yet to file his papers.

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