Tag Archives: Andrew Lawton

05.31.25
by

Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP Andrew Lawton puts the Liberals ‘on notice’

The riding’s newest MP was sworn in on Monday, and although he was still awaiting an office where he could focus his attention, Andrew Lawton joked there was always a vacant park bench or his hotel room, which would afford him an impromptu workspace.
And before the week was over, Lawton had a warning for Liberal MPs.
Connecting with the Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP later that day he noted, “This is a chamber that I’ve studied and observed for years in my media career, and then to walk in on the floor wearing a Member of Parliament pin is a really surreal feeling.
“And it really underscores the honour it is to be here and to be representing the people of Elgin-St. Thomas-London South.

Continue reading →

05.10.25
by

‘We need to be proactive in our planning’ – St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital President and CEO Karen Davies, in the pitch for a new facility

To pick up from our advance story last week on the future of St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, President and CEO Karen Davies appeared before city council at Monday’s (May 5) meeting in the first of what she would like to see as regular opportunities to keep you “apprised at everything that’s going on in the hospital.”
Davies continued, “And so I’m not coming here asking for money today. It happens to be that the update I’m going to provide you with is really based on our space and capacity, and some of those concerns. It’s not a request for money.”
She reminded members of council that the hospital is over 70 years old, “And so the idea that we need a new building shouldn’t be a surprise really to anybody.”

Continue reading →

05.03.25
by

The key to his success in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South? ‘The people saw through a lot of the noise’ – Andrew Lawton

Following his victory speech Monday night at the Columbus Club, MP-elect Andrew Lawton faced his first media scrum.
An opportunity for David Menzies, the chapeau-festooned reporter with Rebel News, to trot out the victim card in characterizing Lawton’s successful campaign.
“Look at some of the mainstream media coverage, which was perhaps unfair at best, vicious at worst,” suggested Menzies.
” You had demonstrators picketing outside your campaign office. So in other words, it wasn’t just you going up against the Liberal, NDP and PPC candidates, it was the media, special vested interest groups, and yet you still won.
“What do you say, reflecting back on that?”

Continue reading →

04.26.25
by

The four federal candidates in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South faced off for the first – and only – time in 2025 election campaign

The final all-candidate debate was held this past Wednesday at the Keystone Complex in Shedden, with all four candidates participating, fielding pre-selected, ag-related questions.
The Elgin Federation of Agriculture hosted the event, and moderated by President Greg Fentie in front of a gathering of approximately 100 attendees.
The four candidates are Stephen R. Campbell, People’s Party of Canada; David Goodwin, Liberal Party of Canada; Andrew Lawton, Conservative Party of Canada; and Paul Pighin, New Democratic Party.
The only occasion where all four were together was the meet and greet hosted by the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce at the CASO station in St. Thomas.

Continue reading →

04.19.25
by

Strong Mayor Powers not required for St. Thomas: ‘We have a council that gets stuff done because it agrees with the direction of the city’ – Mayor Joe Preston

The province proposes expanding strong mayor powers to the heads of councils in another 169 municipalities.
This would include St. Thomas, Aylmer, the Municipality of Central Elgin and the Township of Malahide.
The intent is to streamline local governance and help ensure municipalities have the necessary tools to reduce obstacles hindering new housing and infrastructure development.
In a media release, Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, stressed, “Heads of Council are key partners in our efforts to build homes and infrastructure across the province.

Continue reading →

04.12.25
by

Stand Up For Decency Rally in St. Thomas is about ‘rejecting extremism in any form’

Christine Rudman has serious concerns about the character of the Conservative Party of Canada candidate vying to represent Elgin-St. Thomas-London South in this month’s federal election.
So, the Port Stanley resident has organized a Stand Up For Decency Rally this afternoon (April 12) in front of Lawton’s campaign office.
In an interview this week, Rudman talked about what specifically moved her to go beyond casting her ballot for another of the four candidates.
“I think a lot of people in our riding have some issues with Andrew Lawton and his worldview, to be perfectly honest. We’re in precarious times as a country. Our sovereignty has been threatened. We have fascism at the door. And I think it’s really important that we have someone qualified, for one, who grew up in the area, would be two, and who has the values that represent our region.

Continue reading →

04.05.25
by

‘You have to put your constituency first, always’ and that in a nutshell explains the lack of endorsement from former MP Karen Vecchio

If you’ve known Karen Vecchio for even the shortest time she served as MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London (EML), you would have sensed that community comes first.
She was elected by members of the community to serve all members of the community.
EML PC MPP Rob Flack summed it up best at Vecchio’s retirement party last month.
One of the attributes that Flack most admires in Vecchio is that she is ecumenical.
“Not in the religious sense, but in terms of working across party lines, working across issues throughout this community that maybe have no partisan or political colours.

Continue reading →

03.29.25
by

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.

Continue reading →

03.22.25
by

‘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.

Continue reading →