LESLYN Lewis has won a second term as Haldimand-Norfolk’s MP.
Dr. Lewis, 54, a Dunnville resident and former Toronto lawyer, carried the riding for the Conservative Party last Monday with 57.6 per cent of the vote.
She improved her share of the vote from 47.4 per cent in her first election in 2021.
Dr. Lewis’s 41,218 votes were far more than the total for her five opponents combined.
Liberal Colin Walsh came second with 26,040 votes (36.4 per cent).
New Democrat Shannon Horner-Shepherd came third with 2,412 votes (3.4 per cent).
Nathan Hawkins of the Green Party received 750 votes (1.0 per cent), Henry Geissler of the People’s Party 657 votes (0.9 per cent) and Lily Eggink of the Christian Heritage Party 529 votes (0.7 per cent).
Dr. Lewis—she has a PhD in international law from Osgoode Law School—extended the Conservatives’ winning streak in Haldimand-Norfolk to eight straight elections since 2004.
Former cabinet minister Diane Finley of Port Dover won for the Conservatives in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015, and 2019.
Dr. Lewis led election night results as soon as polls closed at 9:30 p.m.
At 9:43, with six of 266 polls reporting, Dr. Lewis had 1,770 votes, nearly twice as many as Mr. Walsh, her closest competitor, with 937 votes.
From there, Dr. Lewis coasted to victory.
At 10:30 p.m., with 25 polls counted, CBC declared victory for Dr. Lewis.
Haldimand-Norfolk reporters did not witness her thank you speech to supporters.
Conservatives gathered at a private residence to which the media were not invited.
Dr. Lewis did chat with reporters by telephone following her victory.
The next day on Facebook she thanked her supporters and the five candidates who challenged her:
“I am deeply honoured that you have once again placed your trust in me to serve as your Member of Parliament,” Dr. Lewis wrote.
“It is a pivotal time in the story of our community—and of our country.
“I promise you that I will always stand up for Haldimand-Norfolk and for Canada, working to protect a prosperous future for our children and grandchildren.”
The election was called on March 24, giving five weeks to campaign before the vote April 28.
Dr. Lewis’s campaign said Conservatives would “put Canada first for a change.”
The party’s platform promised to make life more affordable, restore safety on streets and stand up for Canada.
Planks included cutting income tax by 15 per cent, removing the carbon tax permanently, ending Liberal soft-on-crime policies and making Canada more globally competitive.
Mr. Walsh, a Simcoe elementary school teacher in his first campaign carrying the Liberal banner, raised his party’s share of the vote to 36.4 per cent, up from 27.5 per cent in 2021.
His campaign, among other things, promised to build affordable housing and give a strong and decisive response to American tariffs and threats to Canadian sovereignty.
Mr. Walsh announced he again will seek the Liberal nomination at the next federal election.
Voter support for New Democrats and the People’s Party cratered in Haldimand-Norfolk.
NDP support fell to 3.4 per cent, down from 13.3 per cent in 2021.
People’s Party support fell to 0.9 per cent, down from 10.5 per cent in 2021.
Voter turnout was 71,966 of 99,311 registered voters. That’s 72.5 per cent.
In 2021, turnout was 66.5 per cent.
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Originally published May 7, 2025
