Federal Election candidates running in the Ajax riding

Election day is less than two weeks away, and local candidates are out canvassing and lobbying for votes.

Climate change continues to be front and centre for many in Ajax. It’s an important topic for Green Party candidate Maia Knight, one of the country’s youngest candidates.

The 18-year-old Carleton University student is prioritizing support for students as well as individuals who are battling illnesses.

“As a student… I know a lot of other Canadians and especially in the community of Ajax are struggling with the cost of education, so I think investing in that and making tuition free, so education is accessible to all Canadians, as well as health care and the introduction of universal pharmacare, is something that is also very important,” said Knight.

Liberal candidate, and incumbent, Mark Holland is seeking his fifth term. The long-time politician is focusing his campaign on what the Liberals have accomplished over the past four years.

“Continue the growth that we’ve seen, the 1.1 million new jobs created, 80 per cent of them full time, making sure the middle class continues to get ahead with tax cuts, making investments in infrastructure, putting a price on pollution and doing our part on climate change. It’s a very clear plan to help the middle class and help our planet,” said Holland.

Conservative candidate Tom Dingwall has been an officer with the Durham Regional Police Service since he was 18 years old. For him, it’s about addressing long-standing issues he witnessed during his career, including opioid use, homelessness and mental illness.

“I bring a different perspective than any other politician because when they’re writing policy on these issues, they’re writing on what they’ve read. I’ve actually been there and I understand the real-life consequences to the decisions that are being made,” said Dingwall.

NDP candidate Shokat Malik is a realtor. He says he wants to help families by addressing the growing lack of affordability.

“High cost of living, the rising housing, skyrocketing mortgages, cost of education, cost of medicine all of these bills and they roll up to the families who haven’t gotten a real raise in years,” said Malik.

Susanna Russo, the People’s Party of Canada candidate, said her party is concentrating on jobs and making a better life for Canadians.

“We’re hoping to put Canadians back to work, we’re hoping to put more of their money back in their own pocket, and we’re hoping to unite a country that so far has been so divided,” Russo said. “I’ve never seen it like this before.”