Seven candidates vie for MP job in riding of Essex

Editor’s Note: A large contingent of candidates will be on the ballot in the riding of Essex for the upcoming federal election.

A request was sent to each of them and we received bios and statements from five of the seven candidates.

Chris Lewis - Progressive Conservative Incumbent

Chris Lewis was born in Saskatchewan and relocated to Kingsville at five years of age, when his parents returned to their hometown. He attended both Cardinal Carter Secondary and Kingsville High School, where he met his high school sweetheart, Allison. Chris and Allison now have three adult children and are proud grandparents to three-year-old Levi.

Lewis played hockey and baseball in his youth and was later a hockey coach. All of this taught him to be a team player. He was also involved in the Kingsville bid for Kraft Hockeyville.

He also worked as a volunteer firefighter for over seven years, as well as sitting on Kingsville Town Council, where he sat on thirteen committees during his time there.

He is a small business owner, putting smiles on people’s faces as an outfitter for hunting and fishing.

“There is no place like getting into nature to clear the head and restore the soul,” he says.

Besides that, he’s spent 25 years in the family business, saving municipalities millions of dollars across North America every year.

“My background in business gave me the realization that people are the reason for any business’ success,’ he said. “My twenty-five years in my family business, set me up to bring those same goals, morals and experiences to government.”

Upon his election as the MP for Essex in 2019, then-leader Andrew Scheer recognized his skill set and appointed Lewis to the International Trade Committee and as Deputy Shadow Minister for Canada-U.S. Relations.

“When the pandemic hit our shores and our border was closed and the province shut down, I drew on every bit of community experience I had, especially as a volunteer and a town councillor, to support the 10,000+ constituents who contacted my office for assistance,” he said.

He sees two major economic issues as priorities — jobs and affordability.

“The cost of everything is going up,” he said. “Grocery bills are up five per cent and gas prices have skyrocketed. With inflation at the highest level in 20 years and rising, families are struggling to make ends meet.”

Lewis says he continues to hear how scared young adults are when it comes to buying a home, citing the biggest issue with affordable housing as supply and demand.

As for pandemic recovery, Lewis says the Conservatives have a comprehensive plan called ‘Economic Recovery Plan to Secure Our Future’.

“Over the course of the pandemic, millions of Canadians lost their jobs, with women accounting for more than half of year-over-year employment losses,” he says. “The tourism and hospitality sectors were among the hardest hit, as well as part-time and temporary workers.”

Jeremy (Jay) Palko - Christian Heritage Party

Jeremy Palko lives in LaSalle and enjoys family, friends, outdoors, and exercise. Years of community volunteering, administration, and leadership have fed his passion for helping others.

His work history ranges from labourer to manager, including 21+ years of automotive and marine engineering.

He has developed complimentary fiscal, social and analytical thinking skills, as well as a personal ethic of hard work and perseverance.

As a single dad of two boys, he understands the unique situations and circumstances faced by many families.

Recent events, combined with our country’s steady slide into destructive policies, spurred Jay to become involved directly in the political process.

“We need a resurgence in our governments to have a Canada that is healthy from the inside out,” he said.

His goal is to contribute to building Canada into the free and democratic society it was intended to be.

Jeremy sees the stop two issues at this time to be The Charter of Rights and Freedoms and abortion.

“Our focus within the CHP has and will be on honouring the Constitution and Charter of Rights & Freedoms that has been effectively trampled, shredded and burned by Trudeau and company, which would only continue with most of the other parties to varying degrees,” he says.

“Rightful interpretation of our founding documents is the only way through and out of this reckless casedemic fear-mongering approach that has crushed quality of life and left Canadians anywhere from despairing to frustrated to infuriated, with no demonstrable justification,” he says.

Palko believes that the economy under the CHP platform would recover and grow like never before because that’s what low taxes, less bureaucracy, and right-sized regulations do.

“Abortion law that recognizes that life begins at conception is desperately needed, “ he says. “We can no longer be in the dark ages with no acknowledgment of life in the womb. Canadians’ tax dollars should not be used for morally sensitive issues such as this.”

Audrey Festeryga - Liberal

Audrey Festeryga is a first-generation Canadian born to German immigrant parents and has a strong work ethic, which comes from her parents’ drive to succeed.

Her roots on the family farm near Wheatley, which she still farms today, provide her desire to give back for all the blessings she has received.

“As a mother of two, I advocate for children and youth with a focus on the future and the environment,” she says. She is a graduate of Leamington District Secondary School and obtained her BA from Mc- Master and Li.B. from Queens.

Audrey is currently a practising lawyer and managing partner with Festeryga Partners in Leamington.

She is an active member of Kingsville Southshore Rotary and the Leamington United Mennonite Church.

She is a former Run Director, Logistics of the CCS CIBC Run for The Cure here in Windsor-Essex as a result of having beaten breast cancer in 2014.

“My experience as a lawyer, business owner, negotiator and health care administrator will ensure Essex issues are heard and responded to by the government,” she says. “As your voice in Ottawa, I am compassionate, effective and tenacious.”

Ms. Festeryga believes that the top issues in the election are affordable living and climate change.

“I plan on working with all levels of government so that families can afford to live, thrive and prosper in Essex,” she says. “Whether $10/day daycare, $25/hour wage and training of 50,000 new PSWs, hiring 7,500 new doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners, a re-elected Liberal government supports families and has your back.”

When it comes to climate change, she believes the Liberal plan is the only one costed and tested.

“A truly massive investment in Canada’s green transition is the right thing to do for the planet and for future generations. It is also crucial for Canada’s economic future,” she says. “Locally, that means investing in electric vehicles, batteries, and the supply chain to support them.”

She also believes that getting vaccinated will get us out of the pandemic.

“I received my first Covid-19 vaccination as early as I could in March 2021, followed by my second jab in June, not only to protect myself, but my 80+ year old mom, my neighbours and my community,” she said.

Beth Charron-Rowberry is the People’s Party of Canada candidate

Nancy Pancheshan is the Green Party candidate

Andrew George - Independent

Andrew George has lived and operated businesses most of his life in Windsor-Essex and Wheatley.

As a father, he keeps busy as the kids play sports and he has seven raised garden beds in his front yard.

“All of my experiences contribute to the well-roundedness I display nowadays,” he says. “As an MP, diplomacy is a big one, as evidenced in my latest campaign video at dharmagardener.ca.”

Andrew believes that the top two issues in this election are maintaining Canada as a free and open society and climate change.

“We don’t have to go down the path of civil unrest,” he says. “Simply acknowledge that Trump solved the COVID crisis by procuring vaccines for those that want them, and immediately cease all other impediments to society.” He’s passionate about climate change.

“Wildfire blazes are destroying entire towns in BC, and in Siberia, the largest wildfires ever have sent smoke to the North Pole for the first time in recorded history,” he says.

He asks you to watch his videos at facebook.com/karmagardens.

On recovery from the pandemic, George believes the local BIAs play a part.

“The BIAs must get proactive and offer a true complimentary currency,” he says. “Like Leamington Money, Kingsville Dollars and Wheatley Bucks."

Tracey Ramsey - NDP Candidate

Tracey Ramsey grew up in Kingsville and graduated from St. Clair College in practical nursing. She’s been an autoworker for 25 year and now works for Unifor as a national organizer. She is married with two sons and lives in Puce.

Ramsey is the current co-chair of the Ontario Health Coalition in Windsor.

“I’ve spent much of my time during the pandemic fighting for families, residents and front line workers in Long Term Care,” she said.

She also helped raise funds for PPE for migrant workers, along with organizing weekly food drops to them across the county.

As a former member of Parliament, Ramsey has worked as the NDP’s Critic for International Trade and as Deputy Labour Critic.

“I’m a vocal fighter who will stand up for our communities,” she said.

She feels that the most pressing issue is affordability, especially for housing.

“People worry that the younger generation are being squeezed out of ever being able to afford a house,” she says. “We need to get foreign speculators out of the housing market that is helping to drive up prices.”

The other issue she is hearing about is how we rebuild from the pandemic and provide jobs for families.

“Let’s face it, corporations like Amazon and big box stores made record profits through the pandemic,” she says. “We need a government that will tax the ultra-rich to pay their fair share to help with rebuilding our economy.”

She says the key to recovery from the pandemic is finding solutions.

“The NDP fought for solutions to the challenges Canadians faced, like making rent and paying the bills,” she says. “We have a plan to make life more affordable, by tackling Trudeau’s housing crisis and making the ultra-rich pay their share so we can provide services for everyone. And we’ll continue to help people get vaccinated.”