Battle of the mayors brewing in Kingston and the Islands as big names face off in federal election

Two local political heavyweights are facing off in the riding of Kingston and the Islands and while they represent different parties and ideologies, they came up through the ranks the same way — fighting and winning mayoral elections.

In the red corner is Liberal candidate Mark Gerretsen, who's been the area's MP since 2015 after serving one term as the city's top municipal official.

In the blue corner is Bryan Paterson for the Conservatives, who took over the mayor's chair after Gerretsen and has held onto it since.

There are other challengers too — Daria Juüdi-Hope, a registered nurse who's representing the NDP and Fintan Hartnett, a professional mariner for the Green Party — both of whom are promising voters a change from the status quo.

In some ways, Kingston's battle of the mayors mirrors the title bout being waged at the leadership level.

But while Pierre Poilievre and Mark Carney trade barbs, Paterson and Gerretsen are quick to say they respect each other and have worked well together in the past, making their contest more of a political clash than a personal one.

The riding's borders have changed over the years, but it's remained Liberal since the late 1980s, when they flipped it from the Progressive Conservatives.

Paterson knows that voting history means he's facing an uphill climb, but said he's willing to work hard to win.

"I think we have the makings of an incredible underdog story, based on what I'm hearing at the doors about the desire for change," he said following the opening of his campaign office last week.

That desire for change is what pushed him to take an unpaid leave from his role as mayor, Paterson explained, adding he believes the Conservative plan will help tackle affordability struggles and restore the "promise of Canada" that's been broken.

"That promise is that when you work hard, when you do everything you can do, that you can build a good life," he said.

Paterson said if elected he'll push for a permanent replacement for the damaged LaSalle Causeway bridge and protect the Kingston Penitentiary from being developed into housing.

As for those in the riding who have never voted Conservative or aren't fans of Poilievre, Paterson reminded residents that on voting day they're not choosing a leader or party, but the person who can best-represent the community.

"I've had people say, 'I've never voted Conservative before, but I'm going to vote for you because I like what you've done for the city,'" he said.

Traditionally a Liberal stronghold

Gerretsen, his main opponent, said he's hearing the opposite message while out canvassing.

"I would say at least five times a day I hear people say to me, 'I'm typically a Conservative, but I will never vote for Pierre Poilievre, and I will be voting Liberal this time," said the party's candidate.

If he continues as MP, Gerretsen said he plans to focus on building more affordable housing and ensuring programs like the Canada Dental Care plan, $10 a day child care and the National School Food Program keep growing.

However, he said the main concern he's hearing isn't a local issue — it's U.S. President Donald Trump, his tariffs on Canadian goods and threats to the country's sovereignty.

That's where Gerretsen said the response from his party's leader, Mark Carney, seems to be resonating with voters.

And while he and Paterson have a similar political past, the Liberal candidate said what sets him and his party apart is their ideology.

"I'm guided by the Liberal values of inclusivity and of giving people opportunity to prosper and to have a great quality of life," said Gerretsen, adding he treats every election as if he's an underdog too.

Greens think they have a fighting chance

Fintan Hartnett laughed when he heard about the heavyweights referring to themselves that way.

"As the actual underdog? I would say that's pretty funny," said the Green Party candidate.

Still, he believes his team has a fighting chance.

"The two big guys are going to be battling it out, and hopefully we can sneak up the middle and convince enough people to vote for the Greens."

Harntett said both Paterson and Gerretsen are "career politicians" and while they might be good in front of the camera, that doesn't mean they're "going to do what's good for Kingston, especially if they spend all their time on the back benches."

As a professional mariner, the Green candidate said he knows how important it is to replace the LaSalle Causeway lift bridge so boat traffic can resume. He also said his party will always fight for climate action.

'It's garbage in, garbage out'

Juüdi-Hope, who's running for the NDP, also pointed to her work experience as health care worker and faculty member at post secondary instructions in Kingston as what sets her apart from the big names running locally.

"We have been let down by our leaders, and it is time to change," she said.

"I do know that I am competing against names, and that's it. I am not competing against competence. I am not competing against care for people."

The registered nurse said she'll push for improvements to healthcare, replacing infrastructure that's outdated to help attract and retain staff and bring expertise when it comes to immigration and its impact on education in Canada.

Juüdi-Hope also bristled at suggestions voting Liberal is the only way to defeat Poilievre's Conservatives this election, calling strategic voting a lie meant to maintain the same old two-party approach to politics.

"It's garbage in, garbage out. At some point we have to stop," she said.