Federal Conservative candidate in Nipissing-Timiskaming steps down

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 10, 2025 11:21 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 10

Cassidy Villeneuve, the Conservative campaigner successful Nipissing-Timiskaming successful bluish Ontario, has stepped down.

In a missive she posted to her Facebook page, Villeneuve said the challenges of moving successful authorities are "often magnified" arsenic a woman.

She said she has faced pushback from definite members of the Conservative Party committee successful the riding that "has made it wide however hard it tin beryllium to navigate these spaces."

Villeneuve was nominated arsenic the party's campaigner successful February 2024.

In her resignation letter, she thanked her squad and added she remains steadfast successful her content that Pierre Poilievre is the champion prime for Canada's future.

Concerns from the riding association

David Tabachnick, a governmental subject prof astatine Nipissing University successful North Bay, said members of the Conservative riding relation successful the country reportedly had concerns that Villeneuve was not progressive capable arsenic a candidate.

At the clip of her information successful aboriginal 2024 Villeneuve lived successful Gatineau, Que., though she signed her resignation missive arsenic a "proud nonmigratory of East Ferris," a tiny municipality southbound of North Bay that is successful the Nipissing-Timiskaming riding.

Tabachnick said helium believes the Conservatives volition person capable clip to find a caller campaigner earlier the adjacent national election.

He said he's not definite Mark Carney, who was chosen arsenic Liberal enactment person connected Sunday, will telephone an predetermination arsenic soon arsenic helium is appointed premier minister.

"Maybe he'll instrumentality immoderate clip to settee in, get to cognize the caucus and the cabinet. He's got to, of course, name a furniture connected apical of it," helium said.

That could propulsion an predetermination person to the summer.

Liberal Anthony Rota is the existent MP for Nipissing-Timiskaming.

Because helium plans to retire, the Liberals person nominated East Ferris Mayor Pauline Rochefort to effort to clasp the seat, portion the NDP is moving Englehart teacher Valerie Kennedy.

Tabachnick said that portion it's been a Liberal spot for astir of its history, the Conservatives person a accidental astatine winning the riding, acknowledgment successful portion to caller redistricting.

"The connection is that it's a small much blimpish present conscionable by the mode these borders person been redrawn," helium said, adding that the NDP should not beryllium discounted successful the riding arsenic they've done good provincially

Villeneuve told CBC News she volition not beryllium commenting further connected her resignation beyond what she said successful her letter.