Conservative candidate drops out of race for Ontario seat as election looms

OTTAWA — The Conservative candidate for a northern Ontario riding has dropped out just weeks ahead of an expected election, citing issues with the local electoral district board.

Cassidy Villeneuve, who was nominated to run for the Tories in Nipissing-Timiskaming, said in a letter posted to social media on Sunday that she’s been working tirelessly on the campaign for the past 18 months.

“As a woman, the challenges working in politics are often magnified,” Villeneuve wrote.

“The pushback I’ve faced from certain members of the board has made it clear how difficult it can be to navigate these spaces.”

She added that she fought for “greater transparency and accountability” and she still thinks the Conservatives are the best choice for Canada’s future. Villeneuve did not provide further details in her letter, and she did not respond to a request for more information on Monday.

In late February, a news story in BayToday cited a leaked document from the riding’s Conservative association that said it was considering replacing Villeneuve as a candidate because it was unhappy with her accountability and performance. The report said the board members wanted to see measurable improvement in Villeneuve’s effort, activity and commitment.

The Conservative electoral district association president, Gordan Rennie, did not respond to messages on Monday. The Conservative party did not respond to a request for comment.

Villeneuve’s bio on the Conservative website, which was removed on Monday, said she was raised in North Bay and is the chief of staff to Manitoba MP Raquel Dancho.

Dancho also did not respond to a request for comment.

The riding has been a Liberal stronghold for years and is currently held by former House Speaker Anthony Rota, who is not running in the next election.

Rota was first elected after the riding was created in 2004 and held the seat until 2011, when it was won by Conservative MP Jay Aspin. Rota regained the seat in 2015 and has won the last three elections.

Rota resigned his position as House Speaker after he invited a Ukrainian Second World War veteran who fought with a Nazi unit to attend an address to Parliament by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rota had asked MPs to pay tribute to the veteran but later said it was an error.

Polling aggregate 338Canada shows the Conservatives had been leading the Liberals in major polls in Nipissing—Timiskaming since at least last spring, but things started shifting after Jan. 26 and the race is now deemed a tossup.

That reflects a broader trend in national polls, with the Liberals appearing to be back in contention after nearly two years of trailing the Conservatives by double digits.

Justin Trudeau’s resignation, the Liberal leadership race and the tumultuous takeover of the Trump administration in the U.S. are all factors.

Pauline Rochefort is the Liberal candidate in Nipissing—Timiskaming for the upcoming election, which could begin in a matter of weeks.

Incoming Liberal Leader Mark Carney is widely expected to call an election before March 24, the date Parliament is set to resume.

The NDP candidate for the area, Valerie Kennedy, released a statement on Monday saying she’s “disappointed Villeneuve says she has experienced unfair or discriminatory treatment by the Conservative party, which does not reflect Canadian values.”

Villeneuve is the second Conservative candidate to leave the race in the last week.

New Brunswick MP Jake Stewart posted on social media last week to say he was dropping out, saying the last 18 years in politics had taken a toll on his family and his health.

The news came after media reports about a dispute between former staffers and the Conservative electoral district association in Miramichi—Grand Lake, and concerns about Stewart’s conduct.

Stewart was first elected to city council in 2008 and served as an MLA in New Brunswick from 2010 until 2021, when he won a seat in the federal election for the Conservatives.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2025.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press