U.S. threat a key focus for local candidates as federal election campaigns kick off

In the days ahead of Sunday's federal election call, Shinade Allder posted a photo on her Facebook page of herself pushing a vacuum cleaner across the carpet of an empty storefront on Oxford Street West.

A first-time candidate, single mother and union leader, Allder is running for the NDP in the London West riding. The vacuuming is some last-minute cleaning to get her campaign office ready for what's setting up as a high-stakes federal election campaign. 

Sunday, Mark Carney asked Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament and kick off a federal election campaign that will send voters to the polls on April 28. The election call comes with Canada locked in a fierce and unprecedented trade war with the United States. It also comes just weeks after Carney became the new Liberal leader — all while U.S. President Donald Trump repeats musings aloud about annexing Canada. 

In addition to cleaning up the office, Allder has been brushing up on her policy issues. As a leader with Unifor, she sees the U.S. tariff threats and their potential to damage Ontario's economy as a major campaign motivator. 

"The majority of our workers are auto workers, so this is a huge threat to them," she told CBC News. "We're going to have members lose their jobs, so we're going to have to fight back." 

On Friday at London City Hall, two London-area Liberals who will defend their seats in this election — Peter Fragiskatos (London Centre) and Arielle Kayabaga (London West) — spoke at a funding announcement. 

They were there to talk about federal cash for new housing in London but both Kayabaga and Fragiskatos were keen to talk about the looming election call. 

Fragiskatos said Trump's threats to Canada go beyond tariffs and will require a strong response from the next federal government. 

"He's absolutely committed to damaging our economy so that he can lay the path toward annexing Canada," said Fragiskatos. "He openly talks about this. This will never happen. We must never allow this. Canada is forever." 

Stephen Gallant is running for the Conservatives in London Centre. His campaign manager said Gallant was not available Friday for an interview. 

Kayabaga, first elected in 2021, will be challenged by both Allder and first-time Conservative candidate and mortgage broker Adam Benni, who was also not available for an interview with CBC News on Friday. 

"I'm going to make sure I fight for my riding," said Kayabaga. "I never underestimate any candidate from any political party because they're community members, and they want to put forward their ideas. So I look forward to getting on the trail with them." 

In addition to sharing a campaign office with Allder, Dirka Prout is running for the NDP in London Centre.

This will be Prout's third time seeking a federal seat for the NDP. And while she agrees the Trump threat will shape much of the campaign, she also doesn't want core NDP issues, such as housing and health care, ignored.