Q&A with Dave Epp, Conservative candidate for C-K–L

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself and why you are qualified to serve as MP.

Dave Epp is a common sense conservative Member of Parliament representing the Southwestern Ontario riding of Chatham-Kent–Leamington.

Dave’s extensive business background includes being the chair/vice-chair/board member of Agricorp (Schedule III Provincial Agency), serving as Ontario/Quebec regional representative for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank; Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council; as well as having served as chair of Ontario Process Vegetable Growers.

Since becoming a Member of Parliament in 2019, Dave has served as Deputy Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food as well as a member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. Currently, he sits on the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, and is heavily involved in inland waters’ issues

Dave continues to be a very strong and accessible local representative, having held more than 108 public meetings across his constituency in his first five years as MP.

Dave is a former single-engine pilot who enjoys fastball, hockey and golf; and loves a good choir. Dave has a post-secondary degree from CMU, and has been married to his wife, Charlene, for over 39 years and they have four grown daughters.

What is the most pressing issue facing Chatham-Kent right now?

The cost of living, including the cost of housing, continues to be the most pressing concern. For many, with the threat of tariffs impacting many of our businesses, this adds precarity to employment, as well as exacerbating the cost of living as tariffs work their way into everyday consumer goods. This is evidenced in Chatham-Kent–Leamington through exponential increased use of food banks, and the difficulty of first-time home buyers to secure their first home. Across Canada, there were over two million visits to the food bank last year alone.

Any other issues of note?

The volatility and angst created by the unpredictability of our long-time reliable trading partner the U.S. has amplified the concerns of Canadians that were there BEFORE Donald Trump took office. Government corruption, waste, and overspending, coupled with excessive regulation, have negatively impacted the climate for investment, leading to lower productivity at the business level, and inflation at the consumer level.

How can the federal government better address the homeless issue in C-K?

Very seldom is homelessness caused by only one issue or concern. Often it is the result of the loss of employment due to other factors including mental health issues, and, in particular, addiction. Increasing the supply of opioid drugs through so-called safe supply will not address the underlying root causes of addiction. Only recovery options will. And so, the Conservative party has committed to creating 50,000 new recovery spaces to facilitate a true addiction response. Fifty thousand lost Canadian lives to opioid drug overdoses, is 50,000 too many.

If elected, what will you do to best represent your constituents?

Common sense says that if one commits to taking the voices of Chatham-Kent–Leamington to Ottawa, one first must listen and be available to the constituents. While that was difficult to accomplish in the first two years of my mandate, due to pandemic-related gathering restrictions, I have hosted 106 of my 108 public events in the three years following the lifting of gathering restrictions. It is a continued commitment to be available – through competent and excellent constituency staff – and through continue personal engagement through availability through public meetings, that I can best represent the voices of Chatham-Kent Leamington.