The federal election might still be eight months away, however, the local race is already heating up with the Conservative nomination process already in full swing and NDP hopeful Jacqui Wiens poised to get the green light from the party.

Meanwhile, Liberal incumbent Andrew Leslie is sitting in the catbird seat ready to take on all comers including former Liberal rival David Bertshci should the Orléans lawyer win the Conservative nomination.

"We've been canvassing door-to-door almost every week and we started that two weeks after the last election,� says Leslie. "So we've knocked on thousands of doors and we've been fundraising, of course, so we're more than ready.�

Perhaps not surprisingly, Leslie plans to focus his campaign on the economy and his accomplishments in securing federal funding for projects such as Phase 2 of the LRT and the Ottawa River Action Plan.

"Unemployment in the riding has declined every year since 2015. It was 7.1 per cent and now it's down to 4.6 per cent,� Leslie points out. "Nationally, we've seen the creation of 800,000 full-time jobs since we came to power and that's pushed unemployment to a 40-year low. We have lowered income tax for the middle class and introduced the Canada Child Benefit which for the typical family gives them up to $5,500.

Conservative nomination candidate David Bertschi talks to a couple of supporters at a recent meet and greet at the Trim and Watters Tim Hortons. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

"In terms of federal funding into the riding, we approved the funding to extend the LRT to Trim Road. We approved our share of the sewage resettling project which is part of the Ottawa River Action Plan. And we are prepared to step in and augment funding to the francophone community that is under threat from the Ford government.�

Leslie is also proud of his government's commitment to Canada's military veterans.

"We've not only restored the cuts that the former Conservative government made, but we've allocated another $10 billion plus,� the former Lieutenant General points out.

While the Liberal incumbent appears to be in mid-election form, the local Conservatives must still select a candidate to oppose him. The contest is a three-man race between Bertschi, retired Armed Forces senior officer Gerry Potter and cyber security consultant Will Hickie.

Berstchi has been holding a series of meet-and-greet events over the past month. During a recent event at the Trim and Watters Tim Horton's, he spoke with a number of local Conservative members who wanted to know his position on issues like the carbon tax and the SNC Lavalin affair.

"It's about meeting and listening to the residents and I am very encouraged,� said Bertschi. "I've been getting a lot of tough questions, but it's given me a chance to lay out my position on the issues with the people and it's been very positive.�

Among the people who wanted to meet Bertschi face to face was Bradley Estates resident Michael Baillot whose nephew, Alain Rayes, is the Quebec lieutenant for the federal Conservatives.

"I have to admit at first I wasn't too sure, but now after meeting him I'm happy. He has my support for sure,� said Baillot.

Gerry Potter served in the military for 35 years. He is currently employed as a consultant to government, private industry, and not-for-profit organizations.

Of the three challengers for the Conservative nomination Potter threw his hat into the ring first, doing so last August when he learned that the Liberals had disqualified groups applying for the Summer Jobs Program if they didn't agree in writing that they supported abortion rights.

"That was the tipping point for me. It went totally against freedom of conscience, freedom of thought and freedom of religion,� says Potter.

Potter's website can be found at www.gerrypotter.ca.

Will Hickie is a data scientist who specializes in cyber security as it pertains to defense research and development. Like Bertschi and Potter, he also lives in Orléans. According to his Facebook page he believes that "modern progressive conservative values, sound yet compassionate fiscal policy, and investment in young Canadians is the best way to bring lasting social and economic prosperity to Orléans.�

Hickie's website can be found at www.votewill.ca.

Jacqui Wiens is the provisional NDP candidate. The Orléans resident is currently going through the party's vetting process and hopes to be given the green light by the end of the month.

The 23-year-old social activist grew up on Taffy Lane and attended Cairine Wilson High School. In 2017, while living downtown, she joined the Ottawa Centre NDP riding association and served as the riding's provincial treasurer through the 2018 Ontario election.

Now back in Orléans, Wiens wants to use the skills and experience she gained during the provincial campaign to engage with her fellow residents about the issues that affect their daily lives. For more information visit www.facebook.com/pg/Jacqui4Orleans.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)