Six questions with LJ Edmonds, Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands- and Rideau Lakes

Editorial note: As Ontarians head to the polls for the Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, provincial election, we want to be your one-stop home base for everything you need to know in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. As part of this coverage, we’ve created profiles for each candidate (pending candidate availability) in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. For these profiles, each candidate was asked the same list of questions, the responses to which we’ve compiled into an easy-to-read Q&A format, with additional links for more information. To view all of the profiles (published as response is collected) and additional election coverage, visit Brockvilleist’s Provincial Election 2025 page.

Lorna Jean (LJ) Edmonds is the Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands- and Rideau Lakes. Edmonds grew up in Ottawa and Pike Lake near Westport, but now lives in Hartington, Ontario. She holds a BA in science from Queen’s University, a Master’s in Health Administration from the University of Ottawa, and a PhD in Development Studies from University of East Anglia in the UK. As a mother, grandmother, volunteer and community leader, Edmonds draws from her diverse experiences in her academic and professional background in education, healthcare, and community sectors both locally and internationally. From 2013 to 2020, Edmonds served as the vice provost of Global Affairs and International Studies and a Professor at the College of Health Sciences at Ohio University. With an impressive list of degrees and professional accomplishments to bolster her, this election marks Edmond’s first foray into politics. She says her main priority is advocating for fellow rural-living Ontarians by fighting for renewed healthcare and education systems that serve all its citizens in equal measure.

Why are you running for public office?

Edmonds told Brockvilleist she running in this election because she believes it is time for rural Ontario to secure resources and increase the population, businesses, and agencies it needs to build the province to be more globally competitive. In order to do this, Edmonds sees the urgent need to invest in public services such as healthcare, education, affordable housing and infrastructure in not just cities, but rural communities throughout the province. “I love this riding and can see its untapped potential.  I want to serve to leverage our niche qualities and work hard to realize the dreams of those who live here.”
Edmonds continued, “I really believe we are the crown jewel and we are just missing out on a few essential jewels because of the lack of a vision and leadership both here and by our premier to invest in our riding.” 

Homelessness and housing affordability have become increasing issues in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands- and Rideau Lakes, as with much of Ontario. What steps would you take as MPP to improve housing for residents?

In order to improve the homelessness and housing affordability crisis for residents,  Edmonds plans to review the needs assessments that have been done for the riding, or conduct a new one, to immediately understand the key issues and gather profiles of who needs assistance. “Unlike the conservatives who have generally believed that the market can take care of all housing problems, the Ontario experience has unequivocally demonstrated that the market-only model is dysfunctional and dangerous.”

The candidate continued, “Today, even people from the middle class are finding themselves homeless. It has to be both – market and non-market housing strategies and the evidence indicates that it is about an 80/20 market to non-market strategy.” 

Edmonds referenced the OLP Policy on Housing and Bonnie Crombie’s More Homes You Can Afford plan, which aims to make buying or renting a home more affordable. “These measures will help young people buy their first home, help seniors downsize, and drive economic prosperity, all while tackling Doug Ford’s housing disaster head-on.”

Health care — including access to family physicians and increasing wait times at clinics and emergency rooms, as well as for surgeries — is a major concern for many in the area. What would you do as MPP to help the situation?

Edmonds states that fixing family medicine will be the single most important priority of an Ontario Liberal government. She plans to build a rural riding community health and support network that enables all citizens to get the care they need, where and when they need it. “Investing in the community services with more and regulated PSWs, mental health workers, teaching assistants, etc. to support the addition of nurses and nurse practitioners and family physicians in the community and in the hospitals means lives are saved and people live longer and are less of a burden on the overstretched specialized medical system and hospital services.” 

As the threat of tariffs looms from the U.S., what are the most important things the Ontario government can do to advocate for its citizens and lessen the blow of any consequences?

With the looming ever-present threat of US tariffs, Edmonds plans to respond by building a strong public service and municipal infrastructure that can sustain the ups and downs of emergencies like this by creating a functioning communication network for handling such crises. In the short term, Edmonds wants to establish an emergency fund to support those impacted by the tariff emergency, with a long-term goal of “building a Canadian agenda for internal trade and capacity for delivering internally on major industry and health services to be independent of other nations as they fluctuate on their strategies for engagement.”

Beyond the above three issues, what is another key policy/idea that could be implemented to improve life for people in your riding?

One key policy that Edmonds plans to implement to improve the livelihood of those in her riding is to bring back higher education programs for domestic and international students in order to build a younger generation who will study and live in the riding. 

If you could share one message with voters, what would it be?

As the provincial election nears, Edmonds wants to encourage everyone to get out to vote but also to vote strategically. “50 per cent of our riding did not vote last time” Edmonds states, “So if you wish to dethrone the PC Party, vote Liberal and vote for Lorna Jean!” 
To learn more about LJ Edmonds, here is a link to their website. https://ljedmonds.ontarioliberal.ca/