By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In Epp we trust.
That’s the message Chatham-Kent–Leamington voters delivered on Monday night, sending Leamington farmer Dave Epp to Ottawa for a third term.
In his first two victories, Epp garnered more than 40 per cent of the C-K-L vote, but proved the third time’s a charm garnering nearly 59 per cent of the vote, with 270 of 295 polls reporting at the time of writing this story.
While not pleased that the Mark Carney-led Liberals will form government, Epp said his goal remains the same, regardless of who is in power.
“It is truly humbling to receive the trust and support from the residents of Chatham-Kent–Leamington,” he told supporters and media. “I’m humbled and honoured. It’s actually not a prize that’s won, but a trust to be honoured. It means listening, and I will continue to listen.”
Epp admitted that the threat of Trump’s tariffs played into the Liberal victory, noting the last two months saw a reversal of the Conservatives’ fortunes.
“Nationally, the outcome is not what we were looking for, but that is a part of democracy when we vote,” he said.
He declined answering if he will support Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in the days ahead.
“That is a question that my colleagues and I will discuss going forward,” he told reporters. “Tonight, I want to thank the constituents of Chatham-Kent–Leamington. And as I said, it is those voices, I’ll be honoured to represent.”
Now that the Chatham-Kent–Leamington boundary has been redrawn to include North Kent and Wallaceburg, Epp said he’s looking forward to getting to know the people “north of the river” rhyming off the names of the communities from Tupperville to Bothwell.
While door knocking, Epp said rising costs and inflation were the main concerns, noting he heard a lot about the impact of the carbon tax and how difficult it is for young people to buy houses.
“Employment and pay cheques have not kept up with inflation,” he added. “The cost of – now fill in the blank.”
The threat of tariffs and Trump have “exacerbated” the cost pressures on people, he said, adding the precarity of employment has also brought more anxiety.
“So, addressing that will remain a priority,” he said.
The crowd at Tru’s Grill House in Chatham was subdued when the election was called for the Liberals about 10:30 p.m.
“Do we want 10 more years of the same thing?” one woman asked. “Are we that stupid?”
Post victory, Epp paid tribute to his political opponents.
“Democracy only works when people have a choice,” Epp explained. “And so, I congratulate and thank the four other individuals for putting their names on the ballot. And I thank their volunteers. Because that is what grassroots democracy is in this country. The people are right, the people are always right.”
The 62-year-old Leamington farmer and agri-business leader was first elected to the House of Commons in 2019 and again in 2021.
While Epp dominated in Chatham-Kent–Leamington, Across the country, it was a different story.
As of the time of writing this, the Liberals had won, or were leading in 163 ridings, while the Conservatives sat at 149 ridings.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was not one of those conservatives. His Liberal opponent, Bruce Fanjoy, garnered 51.6 per cent of the vote, with 125 of 266 polls reporting.
Out west, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh lost his riding of Burnaby Central. His party also lost Official Party status, failing to win a dozen seats.
