Liberal incumbent Bardish Chagger re-elected in Waterloo

Liberal incumbent Bardish Chagger has been re-elected in Waterloo.

Chaggerwonabout 44 per cent of the vote, followedby Conservative Meghan Shannon with 28 per cent and NDP candidate Jonathan Cassels with about 19per cent.

People's Party of Canada candidate Patrick Doucette was fourth with just over five per cent of the vote, followed by Green candidate KarlaVillagomez Fajardowith just under four per cent.

In an interview with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo,Chagger said she was grateful for the voters in Waterloo who voted for her.

"I take nothing for granted and I will continue fighting hard for this community because I really do believe that we deserve people who fight for us and I will always fight for this community," Chagger said.

Chagger said she wasn't disappointed to see the Liberals were projected to form a minority government again.

The election, she said, "was really about just knowing where Canadians are at."

"I have never seen such a stark vision for the future between the parties," Chagger said.

"It was important that Canadians get to have their say to say:How do we move forward for an even better and consciously more inclusiveCanada? And I'mpleased to see that I will get to continue fightinghere in the riding of Waterloo to ensure that more Canadians are included to ensure that we have even better outcomes."

History of riding

Waterloo is the most historic riding in the region. It was created in 1966 when the ridings of Waterloo North and Waterloo South which includes all of Waterloo region were broken up into smaller ridings.

Between 1993 and 2015 the riding was split into Waterloo-Wellington and Kitchener-Waterloo.

Liberal Bardish Chagger, who has held several cabinet positions, including most recently the minister of diversity,inclusion and youth, won in 2019 with 48.8 per cent of the vote. Chagger first won the seat in 2015 over Conservative Peter Braid. Chagger won that election with 49.7 per cent of the vote.

Braid had held the seat from 2008 to 2015. He won in 2008 over Liberal Andrew Telegdi, who was the MP for the riding from 1997 to 2008.

Prior to Telegdi, Progressive Conservative Walter McLean was the MP from 1979 to 1993. From 1968 to 1979 the seat was held by New Democratic Party MP Max Saltsman.

Before 1968, the riding was part of Waterloo North. It was largely held by Liberals, including the very first MP who was Isaac Erb Bowman and also William Lyon Mackenzie King from 1908 to 1911.

But Conservative Joseph Seagram also served as MP between 1896 and 1908 as did William George Weichel, who beat Mackenzie King for the seat and held it from 1911 to 1917. Weichel went on to become mayor of Waterloo.

Watch the panel of 2021 Waterloocandidates:

PANEL: Waterloo federal election candidates

3 years ago

Duration 25:13

Three of the federal election candidates in Waterloo discuss top issues in this campaign, including climate change, integrity in government, Indigenous reconciliation and post-pandemic economic recovery.

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