Here are the candidates running in the federal election around London, Ont.

A sign outside an Elections Canada voting station on March 25, 2025.

It’s federal election season, and around the London, Ont. region, there are five ridings to follow. It’s the first election since the ridings were redistributed.

Middlesex-London

The riding of Middlesex-London covers a large area north of London, from Newbury up to Lucan-Biddulph, and includes Thames Centre. With a population of 115,610, there are 91,129 eligible electors. The riding has been under Conservative leadership since 2006.

*Indicates incumbent

Lianne Rood – Conservative

Before the reconfiguration of our local ridings, Rood was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding previously known as Lambton—Kent—Middlesex in 2019.

Rood holds various roles including vice chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, vice president of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, and a member of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Rood was born in Grand Bend, Ont. and has previously worked as a farmer and political assistant. She has over five years of service working in the House of Commons.

Kent Keenan – Liberal

Keenan was raised in the Middlesex-London area and has been a resident of Port Stanley for the past 12 years.

He has a BA in French and Political Science from UWO, and an MBA from Queen’s University. Previously, Keenan has worked for the airline industry, and also for the charge d’affaires and immigration department at the Canadian Embassy in China.

Jim Johnston – Green

A resident of Middlesex-London for about 30 years, Johnston has been a professor in the International Business Program at the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business at Fanshawe college for the past 16 years. Previously, he worked in a software development and consulting company in London.

Cynthia Workman – People’s Party of Canada

Workman grew up in rural Ontario and has work experience in the service industry.

She has worked for a women’s shelter on a First Nations reserve for 12 years, and has 12 years of experience as an addiction and mental health therapist.

London Centre

A densely populated area in the middle of the City of London, this riding consists of a population of 118,079, with 87,668 electors in just 63 squared kilometres. The history of this riding has been largely Liberal red since its creation in 1997, aside from one Conservative win that lasted from 2011-2015.

Peter Fragiskatos – Liberal

London-born Fragiskatos was first elected as the Member of Parliament for then London North Centre in 2015.

He serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. He previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.

Fragiskatos holds a political science degree from Western University, a master’s degree in international relations from Queen’s University, and a PhD in international relations from Cambridge University.

Stephen Gallant – Conservative

Gallant, a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, worked as an infantry officers for nine years.

His career in the financial services industry has spanned almost 30 years with experience working for some of Canada’s largest banks.

Mary Ann Hodge – Green

Hodge returned to London in 2006 after working in Toronto for 20 years. She first ran for the Green Party of Canada in 2008.

Since then, she has been active in the community, sitting twice on the city’s environmental advisory committee.

She also started Climate Action London – a grassroots community group that advocates for climate action and education.

Dirka Prout – NDP

Prout came to the Forest City about 20 years ago for her career. From 2005 to 2021, Prout served as president of the London Chapter of Spelling Bee of Canada.

Since 2022, she has served as chair of the Unity Project for the Relief of Homelessness in London, after having been a director since 2020.

She has a Master’s of Science in Civil Engineering and 25+ years as a professional civil/geotechnical engineer.

Prout is a two-time federal NDP candidate.

Bruce Lamb - CFP

Lamb was born in London and currently runs a small search engine optimization (SEO) business. He has an HBA degree from Western’s Ivey Business School and regularly helps out at Ivey with their entrepreneurship program.

He helped found the Canadian Future Party last summer. The Canadian Future Party’s primary goal is to bring the debate and policy making process back to the centre.

As an avid horseman, you may see Bruce riding his horse around the track at Western Mustangs football games whenever they score a touchdown.

London-Fanshawe

This riding covers a large section of London’s east end. Across the 107 square kilometres, 126,286 residents live in London-Fanshawe with 89,642 electors. The riding had a span of Liberal leadership from its inception in 1997 until 2006 when the NDP took over. It’s been NDP orange ever since.

Lindsay Mathyssen – NDP

Mathyssen currently serves as the deputy house leader and the critic for National Defence. She previously served as critic for Women and Gender Equality and is currently the deputy critic in this portfolio.

She earned an Honours Bachelors Degree from Queen’s University and later a Professional Certificate in Not-for-Profit Management from the University of Western Ontario.

She was first elected in 2019 when she succeeded her mother Irene Mathyssen, who held office for the NDP from 2006 until 2019.

Kurt Holman – Conservative

Holman has over 20 years of experience in IT management and support and is a long-time resident of London and member of the London-Fanshawe Conservative Association.

Holman completed his Computer Engineering Technology diploma at Lambton College. He also earned his Executive MBA through McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business.

Najam Naqvi – Liberal

Born in Pakistan, Naqvi came to London in 2000 as a trained lawyer.

After passing the bar in Ontario in 2022, Naqvi opened his own law firm in London.

He joined the Liberal Party in 2001 and has volunteered for candidates at multiple levels of government.

Daniel Buta – PPC

Born in 1978 in Romania, Buta immigrated to Canada in 1991. He later attended Conestoga College, where he studied CNC programming and manufacturing engineering.

He has worked in various fields, including six years as a professor at Conestoga College.

London West

The riding of London West may be the smallest in the city, at just 62 square kilometres, a population of 114,374 with 83,361 electors, but it’s also the oldest riding. It’s been represented in the House of Commons since 1968. The riding has largely been represented by Liberals since its inception, with only four terms won by Conservatives.

Arielle Kayabaga – Liberal

Kayabaga was the first Black woman ever elected as Member of Parliament (2021) in London and to London City Council (2018).

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University.

Kayabaga was selected as a 2023 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and honoured as Politician of the Year by One Young World.

She also is the current co-chair of the Global Cooperation Caucus, and the chair of Liberal Black Caucus.

Adam Benni – Conservative

Benni has over 30 years of work experience in mortgage product development and commercial and retail banking. He has also served on the board of the London West Conservative Riding Association.

Benni also teaches courses at the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business at Fanshawe College.

He has earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from the Manchester Alliance Business School in the UK.

Shinade Allder – NDP

Allder has a seasoned history as a part of the labour movement, and was the first woman and first person of colour elected as Unifor’s Ontario Regional Council Chair in 2022.

She currently serves as president of Unifor Local 6005, representing those from Bell Canada Clerical, and the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre.

She has earned several awards for her activism including the Platinum Jubilee Award, the International Woman Achievers Award, and the Leading Women Leading Girls Award from London West MPP Peggy Sattler.

Jeff Vanderzwet – Green

A description of Jeff Vanderzwet is unavailable at this time.

Elgin-St. Thomas-London South

The new riding of Elgin-St. Thomas-London South includes parts of London, takes in St. Thomas, and spans the length of Elgin County. From high-rises and new housing, to farmland and roundabouts - the new ridings serve up a mix of geography and demographics with a population of 112,448.

Andrew Lawton - Conservative

Lawton has experience as a journalist and broadcaster. He was previously the managing editor of True North. Before that, he hosted a daily talk radio show on 980 CFPL in London.

Lawton says he is passionate about mental health, and volunteers on the board of Suicide Prevention Middlesex-London.

He has a degree in political science and history from the University of Western Ontario and worked as a journalism instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University.

David Goodwin - Liberal

Goodwin was born and raised in Elgin County. He has a history in the finance sector.

He graduated from Wilfred Laurier University and also holds a diploma in Data Analytics from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

Goodwin was the chair/president of the Elgin-St. Thomas-London South Federal Liberal Association and currently serves as vice president/treasurer.

Stephen Campbell - PPC

Campbell was raised in the farming community of North Ekfrid.

He graduated from high school in Glencoe before earning a Business Diploma and an Information Systems Diploma from Fanshawe College.

Paul Pighin - NDP

Pighin grew up in London, and as a young athlete competed on the Canadian National Gymnsatics Team, retiring after World Championships in 1991.

Diagnosed with HIV in 1994, Pighin underwent treatment in a period of stigma surrounding the virus, and now serves as an advocate for people living with HIV/AIDS, and for the 2SLGHTQI+ community, as well as people with disabilities.

His political background lies in his service as constituency assistant to Irene Mathyssen and Lindsay Mathyssen.