Those vying to be the next Member of Parliament for the new riding of Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong started to announce their candidacies this week.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the snap election for April 28, 2025 on Sunday, sending Canada into an early campaign, six months ahead of schedule.
Wrapping up the first week of campaigning, the only local candidate confirmed by Elections Canada is incumbent Conservative Member of Parliament Marilyn Gladu.
Gladu was elected to a third term in the House of Commons in 2021, after she was first elected as MP for Sarnia-Lambton in 2015.
The Liberal Party of Canada's National Campaign Co-Chair Terry Duguid announced on Thursday Sarnia City Councillor George Vandenberg will represent their party on the ballot.
Vandenberg expressed interest in seeking the nomination in 2021, but the local party nominated Lois Nantais instead.
Vandenberg is currently on his second term on Sarnia council.
The former Sarnia police officer is a licenced paralegal, a member of the Sarnia Police Service Board and director of the Sarnia and District Humane Society Board.
The Sarnia-Lambton New Democratic Party (NDP) announced its candidate for the federal election in January 2024.
Lo-Anne Chan, a local entrepreneur, graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, minoring in Psychology and a certificate in French.
Fresh off his unsuccessful campaign to be the next Member of Provincial Parliament for Sarnia-Lambton, Libertarian Party leader Jacques Boudreau has announced he will run federally as well.
Brian Everaert is running for the People's Party of Canada and Tony Mitchell is running for the Rhinoceros Party of Canada.
Local Green members have yet to declare their candidate.
Bkejwanong is the Indigenous name for the territory that makes up Walpole Island First Nation. The new riding includes all of Lambton County's 11 member municipalities, and Walpole Island, Aamjiwnaang and Kettle and Stony Point First Nations.