Liberal Leader Mark Carney visited Niagara on Good Friday as the 2025 Canadian federal election campaign entered its final ten days.
Carney spoke to reporters on the rooftop of the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel, with Niagara Falls serving as a backdrop. He was joined by Liberal candidates Vance Badawey (Niagara South), Chris Bittle (St. Catharines), Andrea Kaiser (Niagara Falls) and Jennifer Korstanje (Niagara West).
“I was thrilled to welcome Prime Minister Mark Carney to Niagara Falls to discuss our plan to Trump-proof the Canadian economy and make it the strongest in the G-7,” said Kaiser, who also introduced Carney at the Niagara Falls event. “With a Mark Carney Government, housing in Niagara will become more affordable, the cost of living will fall, and we will stand up to President Trump to keep Canada Strong.”
“We need a strong local Member of Parliament to ensure Niagara Falls – Niagara-on-the-Lake gets its fair share of federal attention and investment, and our Conservative MP has failed to deliver for Niagara since being elected. It’s time for a new and better MP, and I will be exactly this for Niagara Falls – Niagara-on-the-Lake.”
Later, Carney stopped by Port Colborne’s Canalside restaurant, where he shook hands with residents and shared a meal with Badawey, who is the community’s current Member of Parliament.
“It was an honour to welcome Prime Minister Mark Carney to Niagara – this region matters and he knows it,” Badawey told The Niagara Independent. “Niagara South is energized by his vision and experience, and I’m ready to work alongside this proven leader to continue driving economic progress in our community.”
Niagara South Conservative candidate Fred Davies articulated a different perspective.
“Niagara South is home to many wonderful communities and hard-working people,” Davies said. “I’m convinced that after 10 years with no economic growth, out-of-control immigration, and costly taxes on essentials like home heating and gas, the residents of Niagara South are looking for change, and that’s only possible with a vote for common-sense Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre.”
Carney’s tour of Niagara came in the immediate aftermath of the French and English leaders’ debates, which took place in Montreal on Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17, respectively. During the debates, Carney attempted to convince skeptical voters that his leadership represents big enough change for the Liberal Party, as the record of his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, came under intense scrutiny, especially from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
The federal Liberals, who have held power since 2015, became increasingly unpopular during Trudeau’s final term as prime minister, due to intensifying crises in housing affordability, the cost of living, public service delivery, and immigration concerns. In addition, the Liberal-NDP Supply-and-Confidence Agreement damaged the government’s fiscal credibility.
At Christmas 2024, opinion polls indicated the Liberals might not even be able to hold on as the official opposition after the next federal election. Following Trudeau’s resignation and U.S. President Donald Trump adopting an aggressive posture towards Canada, however, polls have shown the party making a remarkable comeback. Fighting against Trump has been the focal point of the Liberal campaign.
“During his remarks, all he (Carney) talked about was Trump, not the issues that are resonating with everyday residents when I knock on doors – like affordability,” Baldinelli shared in a recent interview with The Niagara Independent. “The Liberals have taxed our food, punished our work and doubled the cost of housing.”
Baldinelli believes the Liberals have been mismanaging additional local issues, such as failing to remove the escalator clause from the excise tax on wine, which he says would be “a huge benefit to our vintners, distillers and craft brewers.”
The Niagara Falls MP was also deeply critical of Liberal crime policies, which he says have allowed violent offenders to be transferred to lower-security penitentiaries. This includes serial killer Paul Bernardo, who committed his most ghastly acts while living in Niagara.
“I’ve responded to local constituents,” Baldinelli said. “At the request of a Niagara-on-the-lake resident, I introduced a private members’ bill on returning Paul Bernardo to a maximum-security prison – where he belongs, and I had the full endorsement of my leader to do so.”
Before the developments of the past few months, it was widely anticipated that Liberal incumbents Badawey and Bittle would face uphill battles to hold their seats, while Conservative MPs Tony Baldinelli (Niagara Falls) and Dean Allison (Niagara West) would easily win re-election.
As of April 21, however, polling aggregator 338Canada, which utilizes data from major Canadian pollsters such as Nanos, Mainstreet, Ipsos, and Léger, suggested that Bittle is the clear frontrunner over Conservative candidate Bas Sluijmers in St. Catharines, while Badawey is now slightly favoured to squeak out a win over Davies in the new Niagara South riding.
338Canada still expects voters to return Baldinelli and Allison to the House of Commons, although the races have tightened.
“The (Liberal) platform unveiled on Saturday is a ringing endorsement that people should be able to reconsider their decision on voting for Mark Carney,” Baldinelli said. “If they were looking for someone to have fiscal restraint in turning the ship, they will be sadly, sadly, disappointed… simply put, a resume is not a plan.”
While the Liberals may now be considered the favourite by some, voter demographics and voter turnout remain factors which could produce surprise results on April 28 – Election Day.
Nick Redekop completed his Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Labour Studies at Brock University. He has previously served in municipal and federal politics. In his free time, Nick enjoys following sports, taking part in outdoor activities, and reading biographies. Nick resides in Niagara Falls
