Thunder Bay-Rainy River is a riding that's gearing up for mining and undergoing as many rises as falls in the forestry industry. Much of that growth has yet to take shape.
That's the climate in which NDP John Rafferty is taking aim at a third term.
Rafferty took nearly half of the popular vote to win his seat in 2011 and while he said he's proud of his record holding the government accountable as the critic for FedNor, he resents the Conservative government for Northwestern Ontario's economic malaise.
Since the 2008 recession, Rafferty said, many of the 200,000 fewer jobs in Canada are missing from this region.
"I'm going to be talking around the kitchen table about the economy, where we need to go in Northern Ontario, where northerners need to go to be sure they're not forgotten or left behind," he said.
"We're on the map but we need to be sure we don't fall behind because Canadians have an interesting choice to make this election and with one, choosing Stephen Harper, the North will continue to be ignored. Choosing Tom Mulcair and the NDP, we'll be sure we're on the map."
Liberal hopeful Don Rusnak pointed out Canada is the only G7 nation whose economy has been slipping, quarter-over-quarter, for the last year. What's needed to rectify that, he said, is a serious push to rectify the infrastructure deficit across Canada.
"None of the representatives from Thunder Bay, no matter what party strive they've been under, have done anything for Thunder Bay. I was motivated by that," he said.
"We need to spend on infrastructure and we need to stimulate the economy. There are a lot of projects and things that need to be done right. We need to spend that money now."
When the writ was drawn up in Ottawa on Sunday, Thunder Bay-Rainy River Green Party candidate, Christy Radbourne was on vacation with family in Alberta, where resource extraction for the economy's sake has taken a toll on the environment.
She believes sustainable environmental practices can complement economic development in the extractive sectors that fuel Northwestern Ontario, all while balancing the budget.
As the economy expands, she insisted, accommodations must be made to ensure seniors can have their share of a society they helped to shape.
"We have an aging population in Thunder Bay and we se several of them with decreasing incomes," she said.
"We're looking at a federal policy of expanding the CPP from 25 to 50 per cent of income. That would allow seniors to live in their homes for longer and make up that income gap for seniors that they're experiencing now."
Conservative candidate Moe Comuzzi did not return calls on Sunday.
