As of Friday evening, the confirmed candidates posted on the Elections Canada website for the Airdrie–Cochrane riding ahead of the April 28 federal election included three names.
"Please note that the close of nominations for candidates is Monday, April 7, 2025. Therefore, the list of confirmed candidates may be incomplete. The complete list of confirmed candidates will be available on Wednesday, April 9, 2025," Elections Canada states.
The three candidates that appear as confirmed on the Elections Canada website are: incumbent Conservative MP Blake Richards, New Democratic Party candidate Sarah Zagoda, and Christopher Bell of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada.
Richards, first elected in 2008 and most recently the Conservative shadow minister for Veterans Affairs, filed his nomination papers in late March.
"It’s always humbling to put your name on the ballot," he told DiscoverAirdrie. "I’ve worked hard for the people of our area, and it’s always been an honour to represent our communities and our people within them."
Zagoda, a longtime Airdrie resident and school technologist, was announced as the NDP’s candidate last week. She previously ran for the party in 2021 and has held leadership roles within both the federal and provincial NDP.
"As a long-time resident of Airdrie and an advocate for collaboration and honesty in government, I am stepping forward to ensure that our voices are truly represented in Ottawa," she said in a campaign release.
Other names have been announced by political parties or by individual candidates but are not yet confirmed by Elections Canada.
Sean Secord has been named the Liberal Party candidate, but his name does not currently appear on the official Elections Canada list. In an email to Discover Airdrie, Secord said he is eager to connect with residents of Airdrie, Cochrane and surrounding areas to hear their concerns and discuss his priorities.
The Green Party of Canada lists Deraek Menard as its candidate on its website. His candidacy has not been confirmed by Elections Canada.
The People’s Party of Canada has named Tanner Staniewski as its candidate in the riding. According to the party’s website, Staniewski is "committed to making a difference" and supports the PPC’s core values of "freedom, personal responsibility, respect, and fairness." His name also does not appear on the Elections Canada list as of Friday.
The Libertarian Party of Canada had also previously announced David Sabine as its candidate in Airdrie–Cochrane. His name does not yet appear on the official Elections Canada list.
The deadline for candidate nominations is Monday, April 7.
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