Labrador

Labrador is Canada's least populous federal electoral district and one of its largest by area, covering the vast mainland territory of Newfoundland and Labrador. The riding stretches from the Labrador Straits in the south to the Inuit communities of Nunatsiavut along the northern coast, and west to the mining towns of Labrador City and Wabush near the Quebec border. Major communities include Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City, Wabush, Churchill Falls, Nain, Hopedale, and the Innu communities of Sheshatshiu and Natuashish.

The riding has a large Indigenous population, including the Inuit self-governing territory of Nunatsiavut, the Innu Nation, and members of the NunatuKavut Community Council. Many communities on the north coast are accessible only by air or sea, with no road connections. Outgoing Liberal MP Yvonne Jones, who had represented Labrador since 2008, announced in January 2025 that she would not seek re-election.

Candidates

Philip Earle (Liberal) grew up in the Labrador Straits communities of L'Anse au Loup and Forteau and has lived in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for two decades. He is best known as the vice-president of Air Borealis, the airline that serves many of Labrador's remote communities, and is active in the local Rotary Club. Earle entered politics for the first time, pledging to advocate for housing, establish a primary search and rescue site in Labrador, and work collaboratively with Indigenous governments.

Ella Wallace (Conservative) is the deputy mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where she was elected to town council in 2021. Born and raised in Labrador, she spent her early childhood in Nain before her family relocated to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Wallace is a businesswoman, youth sports coach, and active community volunteer.

Marius Normore (NDP) is a health and safety advisor from L'Anse au Loup with experience in the mining industry and academia. Running in a riding where the NDP has never held a seat since its creation in 1949, Normore focused on affordable housing and the need for dedicated northern housing programs.

About the Riding

Labrador's geography is defined by its immense scale and remoteness. The Trans-Labrador Highway connects the southern Straits communities and Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Labrador West, but six Inuit communities along the northern coast remain without road access and depend on coastal ferry service in summer and air travel year-round. Churchill Falls, site of one of the largest hydroelectric generating stations in the world, sits deep in the interior along the highway.

5 Wing Goose Bay, the Canadian Forces base in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, is a major employer and has taken on increased strategic importance as Canada invests in Arctic and northern defence. The federal government's commitment to bolstering military operations at the base was a topic of discussion during the campaign, with all candidates recognizing the economic and security benefits of the installation.

Housing and food prices dominated the 2025 campaign in Labrador. The cost of living in Happy Valley-Goose Bay runs significantly above the national average, and communities on the north coast face extreme food costs due to geographic isolation and limited supply chains. The NunatuKavut Community Council pressed all candidates on their commitments to search and rescue services in the region, highlighting the life-and-death stakes of emergency response in such a vast and sparsely populated territory. Reconciliation and the relationship between federal, provincial, and Indigenous governments also figured prominently, particularly regarding housing, healthcare, and addictions services in Indigenous communities.