Durham

Durham is a federal electoral district in southeastern Ontario, located on the eastern edge of the Greater Toronto Area. The by-election was called after Conservative MP and cabinet minister Bev Oda resigned her seat effective July 31, 2012, following sustained controversy over her expense claims, including a $16 glass of orange juice and a stay at the Savoy Hotel in London at $665 per night during an international conference, as well as her admission to having directed the insertion of the word "not" into a funding recommendation document.

Candidates

Erin O'Toole (Conservative) — O'Toole was a lawyer and former military officer who grew up in Port Perry and Bowmanville within the riding. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1991 and studied at the Royal Military College, graduating in 1995. He served 12 years in the military as an air navigator, flying Sea King helicopters with 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron on Canada's Atlantic coast, reaching the rank of captain. After leaving the military, he earned a law degree from Dalhousie University and practised corporate law.

Larry O'Connor (NDP) — O'Connor was a former New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham—York from 1990 to 1995 and was serving as mayor of the Township of Brock at the time of the by-election. Born in Oshawa, he had previously worked at the General Motors plant and was a member of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 222 political action committee.

Grant Humes (Liberal) — Humes was the Liberal Party candidate who finished third in the contest. He had also been the Liberal candidate in the riding during the 2011 federal election.

Virginia Ervin (Green Party) — Ervin ran as the Green Party candidate in the by-election.

About the Riding

The Durham riding encompasses the Township of Scugog, the Township of Brock, the Township of Uxbridge, and the western portion of the Municipality of Clarington, including the community of Bowmanville, which is the riding's largest population centre. The riding also includes the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and the northern part of Oshawa above Taunton Road.

The riding mixes suburban and rural character. Bowmanville and Courtice in Clarington are growing suburban communities with newer residential developments, while Port Perry on Lake Scugog, Uxbridge, and the farming communities of Brock Township retain a more rural, small-town character. The area has historically been tied to agriculture and the auto industry, with proximity to the General Motors assembly plant in Oshawa.

By 2012, Durham Region was experiencing significant population growth as part of the broader expansion of the Greater Toronto Area. The southern portions of the riding were attracting young families priced out of Toronto, while the northern areas maintained their agricultural base. Major employers included the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Clarington, as well as manufacturing and logistics operations along the Highway 401 corridor.