Kenora

Kenora is the largest federal electoral district in Ontario by area and the smallest by population. Spanning roughly 395,000 square kilometres of Northwestern Ontario, the riding stretches from the Manitoba border east across vast stretches of boreal forest, muskeg, and Canadian Shield. Major communities include the city of Kenora on the Lake of the Woods, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Pickle Lake, and Ear Falls, along with dozens of remote First Nations reserves accessible only by float plane or winter road. The 2021 census recorded a population of approximately 64,261. Nearly half of the riding's residents identify as Indigenous, and roughly 16 per cent speak an Indigenous language as their mother tongue, making it one of the most significant Indigenous-population ridings in the country.

Candidates

Eric Melillo (Conservative) * First elected in 2019 at age 21, Melillo was the youngest member of both the 43rd and 44th Parliaments. He grew up in Kenora, graduated from Beaver Brae Secondary School, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Lakehead University, where he founded the Campus Conservatives chapter. Before entering politics, he worked as a policy analyst at the Northern Policy Institute in Thunder Bay and served as campaign manager for Kenora—Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford.

Janine Seymour (NDP) A lawyer specializing in Indigenous law and child protection, Seymour is a member of Rat Portage First Nation. She left school at 16 but returned to complete her secondary education in Winnipeg before attending law school, where she was expecting her third child during her first year. She previously served as a political advisor to the Grand Chief of Treaty 3 and was a founding member of Reconciliation Kenora.

David Bruno (Liberal) A cybersecurity professional with 20 years of experience in the industry, Bruno holds degrees in Political Science from Lakehead University and International Relations from the University of Madrid. He served in the Canadian Military as a young Second Lieutenant and received the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian, and has contributed to shaping federal cybersecurity policy through Canada's Digital Charter.

Craig Martin (PPC) An acupuncturist who practised in Kenora for 19 years, Martin cited restoring freedom of expression as a central plank of his campaign platform.

About the Riding

Kenora's economy is built on natural resources. Forestry, mining, and commercial fishing have sustained communities here for generations, with operations like Domtar's pulp and paper facilities and growing gold-mining ventures providing significant employment. Tourism centred on the Lake of the Woods and the region's thousands of lakes also contributes substantially, drawing anglers, cottagers, and outdoor enthusiasts from across the continent.

The riding's vast geography poses unique challenges for federal representation. Many communities lack year-round road access, and essential services such as healthcare, clean drinking water, and broadband internet remain pressing concerns in remote First Nations. Long-standing boil-water advisories have drawn national attention, and the opioid crisis has hit northern communities particularly hard.

In 2021, pandemic recovery was a dominant issue. Tourism and small businesses suffered under public-health restrictions, while forestry and mining operations faced disruptions. The Assembly of First Nations identified Kenora as one of 24 ridings nationally where Indigenous voters could decide the outcome, reflecting the riding's significant Indigenous population and the urgency of issues such as housing, reconciliation, and economic self-determination.

Despite its challenges, Kenora's residents share a strong sense of place rooted in the landscape. The riding encompasses Treaty 3 territory, and the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities—including collaborative economic development, resource stewardship, and cultural preservation—defines much of its political character.