The 2025 federal candidates in brief: Kenora—Kiiwetinoong riding

The Kenora—Kiiwetinoong riding covers an area of about 255,000 square kilometres, and has a population of over 60,000.

The riding includes Dryden, Kenora, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Ear Falls, Ignace, Machin, Pickle Lake and Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls.

Many First Nations fall within this riding, including Bearskin Lake, Cat Lake, Deer Lake, Eagle Lake, Kasabonika Lake, Kee-Way-Win, Kingfisher Lake No. 1, Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Osnaburgh, Wabaseemoong, Wapekeka No. 2, Wawakapewin and Wunnumin Lake No. 1. 

• First Nations leaders, candidates reach out to mobilize Indigenous voters

CBC reached out to all the federal candidates to request summaries of key election issues as identified by northwestern Ontario voters. The candidates and their responses are listed in alphabetical order by surname are as follows:

Kelvin Boucher-Chicago, Independent 

Healthcare, including but not limited to primary care, mental health and addictions:

• "Better efficiency and improved government and bureaucracy accountability."

Cost of living, including but not limited to housing affordability and taxes:

• "Better efficiency and improved government and bureaucracy accountability."

Housing and Homelessness:

• "Cut administration and use those funds for housing that actually fits the realities of those that need."

First Nations issues, including but not limited to infrastructure and mental health:

• "Better efficiency and improved government and bureaucracy accountability."

US-Canada relations, including but not limited to tariffs:  

• "Canada must become more self-sufficient to stand on its own feet." 

Tania Cameron, NDP

Healthcare, including but not limited to primary care, mental health and addictions:

• "Train doctors from north, invest in regional medical schools."
• "Universal mental healthcare, national pharmacare."
• "Invest in harm reduction, treatment."

Cost of living, including but not limited to housing affordability and taxes:

• "Eliminate GST on groceries, diapers, kids' clothes."
• "Expand Northern Resident Deduction, reform Nutrition North."

Housing and Homelessness:

• "Build 3 million homes by 2030."
• "Permanent $16 billion housing strategy."

First Nations issues, including but not limited to infrastructure and mental health:

• "Respect free, prior, informed consent."
• "Implement TRC [Truth and Reconciliation] recommendations."
• "Fix Jordan's Principle."

US-Canada relations, including but not limited to tariffs:  

• "Build Canadian, Buy Canadian strategy."
• "Establish Jobs War Room."

Bryce Desjarlais, PPC

Healthcare, including but not limited to primary care, mental health and addictions:

• "Pause immigration to ease strain."
• "Support community-led solutions for addiction, homelessness, and mental health."
• "Make healthcare training more accessible."

Cost of living, including but not limited to housing affordability and taxes:

• "Pause immigration to relieve housing pressure."
• "Cut red tape to build faster."
• "Eliminate carbon taxes and balance the budget to reduce costs."

Housing and Homelessness:

No response provided by candidate. 

First Nations issues, including but not limited to infrastructure and mental health:

• "Partner through community-led, culturally respectful solutions for reconciliation, health, and housing."

US-Canada relations, including but not limited to tariffs:  

• "Avoid tariffs, support fair trade, lower corporate taxes, and attract jobs and investment."

Charles Fox, Liberal

Healthcare, including but not limited to primary care, mental health and addictions:

• "Increase funding to provinces/territories to protect and modernize public health care system."

Cost of living, including but not limited to housing affordability and taxes:

• "Cut taxes for the middle class."
• "Change EI [employment insurance] system so workers get the supports they need faster."

Housing and Homelessness:

• "Government to act as developer for affordable housing."
• "Eliminate GST for first time home buyers."

First Nations issues, including but not limited to infrastructure and mental health:

• "Strengthen Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare."
• "Culturally based mental health programs including supporting infrastructure."

US-Canada relations, including but not limited to tariffs:  

• "Strategically respond to U.S. tariffs."
• "Expand network of trading partners."

Jon Hobbs, Green

Healthcare, including but not limited to primary care, mental health and addictions:

• "Strengthening healthcare so every Canadian has access to primary care, mental health, dental care, pharmacare."
• "Address healthcare worker shortages."

Cost of living, including but not limited to housing affordability and taxes:

• "Eliminate income taxes for Canadians with incomes under $40,000."

Housing and Homelessness:

• "Create Crown corporation to build affordable and rental housing."
• "Incentivize new housing with a variety of ownership models."
• "Built to sustainable rating systems."

First Nations issues, including but not limited to infrastructure and mental health:

• "Commitment to reconciliation, Indigenous sovereignty."

US-Canada relations, including but not limited to tariffs:  

• "Fight tariffs, increase sovereignty, build Canadian green economy."

Eric Melillo, Conservative

Did not provide responses to questions by deadline.