With an election call expected to be made this weekend, the NDP has announced their St. Catharines candidate.
Trecia McLennon, a local resident, author, entrepreneur and intercultural communications co-ordinator at Brock University, will run for the NDP.
Currently the St. Catharines riding is represented by Liberal MP Chris Bittle who is also the Trudeau government's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Bittle has served as MP since 2015, taking the riding from former Conservative MP Rick Dykstra who held the position starting in 2006.
McLennon, if elected, would become the first federally elected Black woman to represent St. Catharines.
"I am deeply honoured and excited to be a leader in the Niagara Region stepping up to move forward and lead with passion, compassion and lived experience. This is an opportunity to build back differently, and better even in the midst of a fourth wave because this election can’t be only about Justin Trudeau’s political power grab’’ said McLennon. “St. Catharines residents and businesses deserve better and the pandemic has taught us that strong communities are resilient communities and we must work to ensure we rise out of this together. We need elected officials who focus on getting us back on our feet - not gaining a majority.”
McLennon lives in St. Catharines and is a mother of one.
“As someone who grew up in subsidized housing I understand how bad this pandemic has been on families and individuals that are being pushed down and out of Niagara. People are struggling with their mental, physical and financial health. I’ve listened to parents and students who were at their breaking point. I’ve talked with women who considered leaving their profession because of the unbearable stress of choosing between their job or their kids – we need to send someone to Ottawa who has the type of lived experience that will translate into 21st century solutions that work for people.”
It's expected the election call will be made on Sunday, and Canadians will held to the polls on September 20th.