Election ballots take shape as Waterloo Region politicians hit campaign trail

With less than a month until the provincial election, local politicians vying for a seat at the table are gearing up for a whirlwind campaign.

Another political announcement made at the Region of Waterloo on Wednesday has emptied a seat around the horseshoe.

Councillor Colleen James has decided to take a 29-day leave of absence from her regional council role to focus on her campaign to be elected MPP for the Kitchener Centre riding.

James was announced as the Liberal candidate in the Kitchener Centre riding at the end of 2024.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to amplify voices and promote the interests that strengthen all of our powers and influence,” said James at a council meeting on Wednesday. “I was elected to do this and I will continue to fight to do this.”

Her announcement follows a similar decision from now-former regional councillor Rob Deutschmann who is also a Liberal candidate in the upcoming provincial election, vying for the MPP seat in Cambridge.

Unlike James, Deutschmann decided to resign from his position at regional council. His seat was officially declared vacant at the council meeting on Wednesday.

Staff will provide options to fill Deutschmann’s empty seat at a special council meeting on Feb. 11. Council could decide to appoint someone to the role or hold a byelection.

Both James and Deutschmann are entering provincial political battlegrounds where Liberal red hasn’t flown since 2018.

In the Kitchener Centre riding, James takes on incumbent Green Party MPP Aislinn Clancy, as well as PC candidate Rob Elliott and New Democrat Brooklin Wallis.

In Cambridge, Deutschmann will look to unseat incumbent PC MPP Brian Riddell, along with NDP candidate Marjorie Knight.

In the Waterloo riding, incumbent NDP MPP Catherine Fife is joining Provincial NDP leader Marit Stiles on the campaign trail in New Hamburg on Thursday.

Of course, New Hamburg is one of the sites of the ongoing Wilmot Land Assembly, a hot-button political issue throughout this cycle.

“I believe Waterloo is worth fighting for, on healthcare, on housing, and education,” said Fife in a post to Instagram on Wednesday. “There are solutions, but they’re not of any interest to Doug Ford.”

Fife is looking to be re-elected in Waterloo, up against PC candidate Peter Turkington, Liberal candidate Clayton Moore, and Green candidate Shefaza Esmail.