With Mark Carney becoming Canada’s prime minister-designate following his resounding Liberal Party leadership contest victory Sunday, a federal election is expected to be just around the corner.
In the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding, a full raft of local candidates has emerged to try to unseat Green Party MP and party co-leader Elizabeth May, who was first elected to the riding in 2011.
At press time Monday, May will face Liberal candidate David Beckham, Conservative candidate Cathie Ounsted, NDP candidate Colin Plant and People’s Party of Canada candidate Raymon Farmere.
Ounsted was elected by riding association members on Feb. 22. According to a press release, Ounsted is a businesswoman, community volunteer and financial professional with Ounsted and Company. She is the first female candidate to stand for office with the Conservative party in Saanich-Gulf Islands since Marilyn Loveless ran for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1997 election. Ounsted was joined in the race by North Saanich councillor Jack McClintock and businessman Angus Ross.
According to the Liberal Party of Canada website, Beckham was acclaimed as the local Liberal party candidate on March 5.
Plant, a teacher, has been a Saanich Council member since 2014 and served as chair of the Capital Regional District Board. He was declared the NDP candidate in the spring of 2024.
Candidate websites can be found at:
• Conservative: Cathie Ounsted – saanichgulfislands.conservativeeda.ca/
• Green: Elizabeth May – greenparty.ca/en/candidate/elizabeth-may
• Liberal: David Beckham – liberal.ca/nomination-notices/acclamation-notice-saanich-gulf-island-2025/
• NDP: Colin Plant – colinplant.ndp.ca/
• PPC: Raymon Farmere – peoplespartyofcanada.ca/candidate/raymon-farmere