Brantford--Brant South--Six Nations

Brantford--Brant South--Six Nations is a newly redrawn riding that brings together the city of Brantford, parts of Brant County, Six Nations of the Grand River -- the most populous First Nations reserve in Canada -- and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The inclusion of two major Indigenous communities in the riding name and boundaries made Indigenous issues a defining feature of the 2025 campaign, distinguishing this contest from typical southwestern Ontario races.

Candidates

Larry Brock (Conservative)* is the incumbent, first elected in 2021 to represent the predecessor riding of Brantford--Brant. Born and raised in Brantford, Brock earned a bachelor of arts from the University of Waterloo and a bachelor of law from the University of Calgary. He began his legal career in private practice in 1992 before becoming Assistant Crown Attorney in Brantford in 2004, where he handled homicides, major fraud cases, and other serious offences as a senior prosecutor. He also developed extensive expertise in the Indigenous Persons Court. He has served as chair of the board of the Crossing All Bridges Learning Centre, which helps adults with developmental difficulties.

Joy O'Donnell (Liberal) is a certified financial planner who has provided financial services in the Brantford area since 1994. She is currently First Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant, a director on the Grand Erie Public Health Board, and an active member of the Rotary Club of Brantford. She was the only federal candidate to reach out to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation during the campaign.

Anne Gajerski-Cauley (NDP) is a part-time minister at the United Church of Canada and a full-time caregiver for her son with autism. A veteran of approximately 40 political campaigns, she focused her campaign on seniors, gig economy workers, and those with high healthcare needs.

Karleigh Csordas (Green Party) is a customer success manager at a local tech company who attended the University of Waterloo and previously worked as a recreation therapist and physiotherapy assistant. Running in her fourth election across provincial and federal races, she emphasized Indigenous rights, healthcare, and reconciliation.

Nicholas Xenos (People's Party) works in senior management in information technology and campaigned on government and democratic reform, including proportional representation.

Mike Clancy (Independent) also stood as a candidate. Leslie Bory (Independent) and Clo Marie (Independent) rounded out the ballot.

About the Riding

The riding's defining characteristic is the presence of Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation within its boundaries. Indigenous issues -- including access to clean drinking water, internet infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and justice -- were central to the campaign. Candidates debated their approaches to land claims, treaty rights, and the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action.

Brantford itself is a mid-sized city with a diversifying economy anchored by manufacturing, healthcare, and the growing Wilfrid Laurier University campus downtown. The city has experienced significant residential growth as Toronto-area homebuyers have migrated westward in search of more affordable housing. Brant County's southern portions are predominantly agricultural, with a mix of cash crops and livestock operations along the Grand River corridor. The US trade dispute and tariff uncertainty weighed on the riding's manufacturing base, while affordability, healthcare access, and rural infrastructure rounded out the key concerns for voters in 2025.