As the federal election approaches on April 28, incumbent Conservative candidate Philip Lawrence is running to continue representing Northumberland-Clarke in Ottawa.
Lawrence, who lives with his wife and two children on a small farm in Orono, was first elected in 2019 and is running for the Conservative Party of Canada. His bio highlights a background in tax law and financial services, and he says he brings legal and economic expertise to his role as shadow minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Ontario.
We asked Lawrence to tell us more about his background.
Outside of politics, Lawrence is described as an active community member and belongs to the Newcastle Lions Club. He has also served on the disciplinary committee of the Financial Planning Standards Council.
Lawrence is also known in the community for advocating for local farmers and charities. In 2020, he introduced Bill C-206, aimed at exempting qualifying farming fuels from the federal carbon tax. The bill received support from multiple parties before passing through the House of Commons.
According to Lawrence, this advocacy is fundamental to why he is seeking re-election.
Lawrence’s background info also highlights his focus on international issues. In 2022, he tabled Bill C-281, known as the International Human Rights Act, to strengthen Canada’s voice on human rights worldwide.
For this election, we asked Lawrence what he sees at the top issues that need to be addressed.
If re-elected, we asked what would be his first priority.
Finally, Lawrence shares that this election could not have come soon enough.
Lawrence says he’s running again to keep delivering results for local residents.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)