Cardigan

Cardigan is the easternmost of Prince Edward Island's four federal ridings, covering nearly all of Kings County. The riding stretches from Tracadie Bay and Scotchfort in the northwest to East Point at the island's eastern tip, and from Souris south to Murray Harbour and Point Prim, encompassing the fast-growing suburb of Stratford across the Hillsborough River from Charlottetown. According to the 2021 census, the riding had a population of approximately 39,236.

Candidates

Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal) had represented Cardigan since 1988, making him the longest-serving member of parliament in Prince Edward Island history. Born in 1946 and raised on a dairy and seed potato farm in Midgell near St. Peters Bay, MacAulay entered politics after being recruited as the Liberal nominee in 1987. Over his career he served as Minister of Labour, Solicitor General, and was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in 2015, then Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence in 2019. He sought his eleventh consecutive term in 2021.

Wayne Phelan (Conservative) is a Stratford-based entrepreneur who previously ran a pub in Japan before returning to Prince Edward Island to launch an internet company and later PEI Monitoring, a home security business founded in 2010. Phelan also served as the Conservative candidate in the 2019 election. He entered politics out of concern over rising federal debt and its long-term burden on younger generations, defeating Blair MacPhail for the Conservative nomination.

Lynne Thiele (NDP) is a former educator from Stratford who had previously run twice for provincial seats with the NDP and represented the party federally in Cardigan in 2019. She is active in community literacy efforts and runs a volunteer reading program. Thiele campaigned on affordability, a basic income guarantee, and expanded public health coverage including pharmacare and dental care.

Michael MacLean (Green Party) lives in Bridgetown with his wife and young daughter. He began his career in the non-profit sector and previously worked for the P.E.I. technology industry sector association and Veterans Affairs Canada before helping establish Victory Stone, a custom stone countertop business. MacLean said conversations with his daughter about how things could be done differently prompted his decision to run.

Kevin Hardy (People's Party of Canada) ran as the PPC candidate in Cardigan. Limited public information was available about his background during the campaign, as he was not reached by media outlets for interviews before the election.

Fred MacLeod (Christian Heritage Party) holds a diploma in Business Management and has experience in entrepreneurship and conflict resolution. He previously served as a shop steward and director of PEIUPSE Local 15 and as a gazetted peace officer for Highway Safety PEI. He had run for the Christian Heritage Party in Charlottetown in 2019 before switching to Cardigan for 2021.

About the Riding

Cardigan's landscape is defined by rolling farmland, coastal harbours, and the red sandstone shoreline characteristic of eastern Prince Edward Island. The riding's largest community is Stratford (population 10,927 in 2021), a rapidly growing bedroom community connected to Charlottetown by the Hillsborough River bridges. Stratford's population grew 12.5% between 2016 and 2021, reflecting intense suburban development pressure. Farther east, the Town of Three Rivers—formed in 2018 through the amalgamation of Georgetown, Montague, and several surrounding municipalities—had a 2021 population of 7,883 and serves as the regional hub for Kings County, with the Kings County Memorial Hospital, provincial government offices, schools, and retail services.

The economy is anchored by agriculture, fisheries, and seasonal tourism. Potato farming and dairy operations dominate the agricultural sector, while lobster, crab, and other shellfish support a network of fish processing plants throughout the riding. The port of Souris is home to the CTMA ferry terminal, providing the primary link between Prince Edward Island and Quebec's Magdalen Islands—a five-hour crossing that serves roughly 750 passengers and over 200 vehicles per trip, supporting both tourism and the regional fishing economy.

Labour shortages were a dominant issue in the 2021 campaign. Seafood processing plants across Kings County struggled to recruit seasonal workers, a problem that predated the COVID-19 pandemic but was significantly worsened by it. Candidates debated how to attract and retain workers in a riding where many industries compete for a limited labour pool. Health care access was another concern, particularly in rural communities distant from Charlottetown's hospitals. The riding's mix of a booming suburban fringe in Stratford and quieter rural and fishing communities in the east created a diverse set of constituent priorities, from managing residential growth to preserving the viability of seasonal industries.