REGINA – Five candidates are competing to win the seat for Regina-Wascana riding in the federal election on April 28.
According to the final list of candidates with Elections Canada, on the ballot will be Peter Bruce of the People’s Party of Canada, Kimberly Epp of the Green Party of Canada, Michael Kram of the Conservative Party of Canada, Kaitlyn Stadnyk of the New Democratic Party, and Jeffrey Walters of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Peter Bruce, People’s Party of Canada
Peter Bruce was born and grew up in Toronto, but has lived and worked in Regina since 1981. He worked for 37 years at SaskTel.
He was educated at the University of Toronto and the University of Regina in European and Canadian history. He is also active in local theatre and volunteers in the community. He has been active in the People’s Party of Canada since 2019.
According to his website, Bruce supports the PPC message and platform because he believes Canadians have become too comfortable living with dangerous untruths, and the PPC is the only political party bold enough to talk about the uncomfortable truths the country must hear.
Kimberly Epp, Green Party of Canada
According to her party’s website, Kimberly Epp has lifelong experience as a conservationist and educator. She was raised on a grain farm near Rosthern and has been able to travel and hike extensively in Europe.
The party notes that Kimberly is inspired to run because of her ongoing desire to protect and nurture the planet and all the animals that reside on it with humans.
Michael Kram, Conservative Party of Canada
Michael Kram has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for Regina—Wascana since the general election of Oct. 21, 2019. Michael currently sits on the House of Commons Environment Committee.
According to his campaign page he was born and raised in Regina, and a graduate of Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Economics, both from the University of Regina. He worked in information technology prior to being elected.
The party lists Michael’s accomplishments as including the following:
- Campaigning to prevent the closure of the Regina Airport air traffic control tower;
- Defending RCMP Depot Division from proposed closure;
- Securing funding for research projects at the U of R;
- Raising money for the Regina Food Bank;
- Raising money for the Salvation Army’s efforts to aid the homeless;
- Raising awareness for the fundraising campaign for Ronald McDonald House’s planned Regina location;
- Participating in the ratification of the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement while on the House of Commons International Trade Committee;
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, uncovering extensive CERB fraud at the CRA in which numerous CRA employees claimed CERB payments while still fully employed by the government; and
- Uncovering numerous examples of deception and double-talk in the Ministry of Environment, including that the 2 Billion Trees program has no plan or intention of planting even a fraction of the advertised number of trees.
Kaitlyn Stadnyk, Canada’s NDP
Kaitlyn Stadnyk, who grew up on the family farm outside Lumsden, comes from an extensive family background in farming.
She has volunteered with organizations like the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan, White Pony Lodge, and Souls Harbour Rescue Mission.
She holds a a Bachelor of Human Justice degree from the University of Regina. In 2023, she ran for the NDP in the Lumsden-Morse byelection.
Jeffrey Walters, Liberal Party of Canada
According to his party’s campaign website, Jeff Walters “grew up with working-class values and a firm belief that any obstacle can be overcome with perseverance, hard work, and the conviction of one’s beliefs.”
He worked his way through the University of Saskatchewan with the help of scholarships and student loans and attained an MA in Political Studies.
He moved to Regina in 2006 and has worked in a number of roles. Currently he is a full-time sessional instructor at the University of Regina and owner of a successful consulting firm.
Walters ran in the 2020 provincial election in Saskatchewan for the Liberals and led the provincial party from 2021 to 2023.
Riding history and redistribution:
The race in Regina—Wascana has typically been between the Liberals and Conservatives. For over 25 years, the seat was held in Parliament by high-ranking Liberal cabinet minister Ralph Goodale before he was defeated by Kram in the 2019 election.
The electoral boundaries have changed over the years. For this election, Regina—Wascana is bordered by Albert Street to the west and the Canadian Pacific Railway line to the north, with the remaining boundaries bordering on Tower Road and the Regina bypass to the east, and along the southern city limits bordering on the RM of Sherwood.
Major employers in the riding include the government and civil service, the steel industry, oil and gas, health care, education, and agriculture and ag-related industries.
Like other Regina ridings, major issues include addressing crime, addictions issues such as fentanyl, addressing the houselessness crisis, affordability, and economic impacts of tariffs on local industries like Evraz Steel and the Co-op Refinery.
The election is April 28.
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