‘I know Nepean well:’ Liberal Leader Mark Carney speaks on decision to run in west Ottawa riding

Voters in Nepean share their top election issues and react to the news that Liberal Leader Mark Carney will run in the riding. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney spoke on his decision to run in the west Ottawa riding of Nepean on Sunday after asking Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament, sending Canadians to the polls next month.

Speaking to reporters outside Rideau Hall, Carney was asked about his choice to run in the urban riding, days after incumbent Nepean Liberal MP Chandra Arya said his nomination was revoked by the party.

“From my perspective, I’ve been a resident of Ottawa for almost twenty years, with the exception, of course, when I was honestly a resident of London, when I was the governor of the Bank of England,” he said.

“I know Nepean well. I was best man to Peter Chiarelli who grew up in Nepean, so from Barrhaven to Bells Corners and in between, it’s an area I know well. And in many respects, it’s representative of many of the aspects of this country. Median incomes around $50,000 to $55,000, a little less than the national average. It’s very diverse, both has the opportunities and the challenges that we face as a country and those are the challenges I’m looking to address.”

The Liberal Party announced Saturday night that Carney would represent the riding, which stretches from Highway 416 in the west to the Canadian National Railway in the north, the Rideau River in the east and Barnsdale Road in the south.

Arya has represented the riding since 2015, but said on March 20 his nomination to run in Nepean had been revoked. The party has not clarified a reason, though it comes after he was barred from running in the leadership race in January.

Carney stressed that he was not a part of the decision to revoke Arya’s nomination.

“The green light committee decides who runs in the ridings. I’m not a member of that committee,” he said.

Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, did not specify whether he lived or is planning to reside in Nepean, though Elections Canada does not require candidates to live in the ridings they represent.

Speculation had suggested Carney could run in Edmonton, his hometown, in Toronto or in Ottawa, where he currently lives.

Statistics Canada data pegs the riding’s median income at $50,400 with an average income of $62,200. It has a population of 122,229 residents, according to the 2021 census.

The Conservative Party has nominated Barbara Bal as its candidate. The riding borders the riding of Carleton, currently held by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

Arya won the riding in 2021 with 46 per cent of the vote. Elections Canada reinstated the riding of Nepean for the 2015 election, splitting up the riding of Nepean-Carleton.

Nepean residents react

Nepean residents say they will be watching how the election campaign evolves closely.

Augustine Saleh was grocery shopping in the riding on Sunday, with the country’s future on his mind.

“There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered in Canada like the housing deficit, like the economy,” he said.

Resident Chris Campbell says he’s happy to see Carney on his ballot.

“I’ve never been too upset with anything Chandra’s done but it’s always good to have some fresh energy and some good new perspective on it,” he said.

Michele Mantha says his vote will be going to the Conservatives.

“Pierre Poilievre is the answer for Canada- a good Conservative,” he said.

“Carney is surrounding himself with the same incompetent people that the Liberals always had.”

Nanos Research ballot tracking numbers show the race between the top two federal parties are deadlocked in a virtual tie nationally.

While momentum has risen for the Liberals in recent weeks, experts say its difficult to predict an outcome and the party cannot afford to take risks on where its leader should run.

“The Liberals and the Conservatives are quite close in the polls, it’s not like Carney’s way ahead - although sometimes that’s how people seem to be talking,” said Lori Turnbull, a political science professor at Dalhousie University.

“This is not the time for Carney to try to pull a miracle in some long shot riding that the Liberals probably weren’t going to take anyway.”

Carney launched the election on Sunday for a vote that is scheduled for April 28.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katelyn Wilson