WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — The NDP in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke will nominate its candidate in the next federal election at the Royal Canadian Legion at a meeting starting at 7:00 p.m. tonight.
Two candidates are seeking the nomination, Kurt Stoll of Deep River and Eileen Jones-Whyte of Eganville. Mr. Stoll is a nuclear engineer in Chalk River and Ms. Jones White is a French teacher in Eganville. Candidate speeches begin at 7:10 p.m. and voting at about 7:30 p.m., with results expected around 8:00 p.m.
Ms. Jones-Whyte is seeking the nomination because, “I believe in social and climate justice. I want to play a role in improving the lot of ordinary Canadians. I want to leave the world a better place.”
She has taught school for over 25 years in Ontario, Newfoundland and in Munich, Germany. “I became a teacher,” she says, “because I saw education as a means to give all people a chance of a better future. As a teacher, I have seen how education can lift people up and help them fulfill their potential.”
“Not everyone comes to school equally advantaged. This is true of our overall society. Many can benefit from supports which overcome their obstacles and help them achieve fulfilling lives. Investments in people not only help individuals but create a richer and more caring society.”
Kurt Stoll says he is running because, “at its best, the NDP was the party of workers and public-sector building. They pushed for critical infrastructure when other parties insisted on austerity. Hospitals, roads, public housing, schools, pipelines, communication and electrical grids were all built under public ownership while guaranteeing basic labour rights.”
“Now, populist, labour-friendly building is again required. Both the re- cession and climate change will be beat by building public infrastructure and by leveraging the talents of the country’s most talented workers and scientists, like those in Chalk River.”
Eileen Jones-Whyte is active in the community as a past Chair of the Training and Learning Centre of Renfrew County and as a coach, a co-founder and Director of the Upper Valley Basketball Association.
“Coaching is my way of helping youth learn sportsmanship and to be strong and resilient.” She is an avid outdoors person who canoes, hikes, cycles, swims, skis and snowshoes.
She shares this love of being active outdoors with her husband, reporter Mark Jones and their two adult children, Naomi, a raft guide on the Ottawa River and Ramsay Jones, who studies at Brock University and serves in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves.
She studied French and German at McMaster University and Education at the University of Toronto. She also served in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves.
Kurt Stoll grew up in Saskatchewan on a grain farm, earned an engineering degree in Hamilton, and now works at CNL in Chalk River in research and development.
He moved here from Saskatchewan, where his family works in agriculture, in 2018.
“All political parties are struggling to solve very large problems. Almost everyone suffers fiscal insecurity,” he says. “McJobs are available, but family-sustaining jobs are rare. Even highly-educated people are losing their guaranteed pensions. Neither the Conservatives nor Liberals will systematically attack these problems because both dance for big business.”
Eileen Jones-Whyte says she wants, “a government that sees the value of all Canadians, that will work toward removing the systemic barriers that keep many Canadians from fully participating in our economy and that values the future with positive actions towards reducing climate change.”
Photo submitted. (Centre) Kurt Stroll. 
Photo submitted. (Centre) Eileen Jones-Whyte.
