Today - Monday, August 31, 2026 - is Election Day here in Beaches-East York!

"Forever is a long time" was Liberal Prime Minister Carney's response when reporters pressed him about whether he would rule out expanding Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport to accommodate jets.

This exchange came after Ottawa halted Premier Doug Ford's plans for the expansion last month. 

Ostensibly the Liberal government had reacted to massive public opposition in Toronto to the airport expansion plans, particularly from waterfront ridings such as Beaches-East York. 

An online federal consultation found that 87 per cent of 87,000 respondents did not want an expanded Island airport.

Carney's comment, however, has exposed the prime minister and the Liberal government's unwillingness to be decisive about what will happen with the airport despite being given unambiguous direction by the people of Toronto.

Speaking on the issue, NDP Leader, Avi Lewis said "People are really annoyed that they thought they had won against these jets and the expansion of Billy Bishop, and all of a sudden the prime minister is saying, ‘Oh, forever is a long time.’' He’s suddenly flip-flopping again — people are upset about that."

The Liberals' shifting on the airport issue has centred it in the Beaches-East York by-election campaign in which NDP candidate Shannon Devine has been clear and consistent about opposing the Island airport expansion pointing out the noise, pollution, and environmental harms it would bring.

“We’re hearing from residents that they feel very frustrated that they had to fight so hard to be heard, and that they don't trust that the government isn't going to backpedal on this,” she said.

Voters in Beaches-East York going to the polls this month, can feel secure that Devine is on the right side of this issue and will represent them strongly.

Shannon Devine (https://shannondevine.ca) is our NDP candidate in the current by-election in Beaches-East York.

Shannon is committed to...

• Speaking out on federal decisions that impact Beaches–East York and Toronto. She won't be silenced by the Carney government 
• Bringing down costs on groceries and other essentials
• Ensuring the Liberals keep their word on Billy Bishop Airport, instead of making more backroom deals with Doug Ford
• Advocating for climate and environmental protections
• Extending healthcare - removing financial barriers to accessing dental services, eye care, mental health care, and prescriptions
• Fighting against privatization of our public services and infrastructure
• Pushing for affordable child care
• Firmly opposing new pipeline projects
• Calling for diplomatic and economic solutions to end Canada’s complicity in the genocide in Palestine
• Urging a pause on implementing and subsequent regulation of AI data centres
• Working to create more good jobs

She will listen and work hard to advance our community's needs and proudly represent Toronto and Ontario in Ottawa.

About Shannon

Shannon is a veteran communications professional, activist, and labour leader who brings solid progressive values and decades of movement-building experience, advancing the issues of people across Toronto and Ontario, to her campaign.

As the federal NDP candidate for Beaches–East York in 2025 and a core organizer in local municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns since 2015, Shannon understands the challenges facing our riding, city, and province. 

Her commitment to progress runs deep, shaped by growing up in an NDP household where she learned early that progress must be fought for and no one should be left behind.

Her dedication to workers’ rights and equity has been visible in her labour work. For over two decades, Shannon has served in leadership roles in labour - including as Communications Director for Unifor/CAW, Executive Director of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), Head of Communications and Political Action for the United Steelworkers, and Executive Director of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council. 

Most recently, she led a groundbreaking national 2SLGBTQIA+ working group, mobilizing union members across Canada to fight back against rising hate and discrimination in their workplaces.

Throughout her career in public advocacy, Shannon has consistently challenged corporate power, published insightful commentary on politics and social issues in the Toronto Star, and served on numerous boards and executive committees—including Social Planning Toronto, the Parkdale Community Food Bank, the Mayworks Festival, the NDP Federal Council, and Rabble.

Close to home, she is an active parent-volunteer at Bowmore Road Junior and Senior Public School. 

Her unique mix of activist and political experience, labour leadership, board governance, and community organizing work positions Shannon well to represent our riding - fighting for real solutions in Parliament. 

Shannon’s favorite part of campaigning is door-knocking to hear directly from neighbours so she can centre and is prepared to work towards the issues that matter most to us in Ottawa.

An avid long-distance runner, Shannon lives with her wife and their two daughters.

Visit https://www.shannondevine.ca/ for more about Shannon and to connect with the campaign

Liberal prime minister Mark Carney's "openness" to conservative Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's efforts to expand private two-tier health care in Alberta has not gone unnoticed by proponents of US-style, market-based, private health care in Canada who are praising it.

Although European countries with mixed private and public healthcare are sometimes cited as mocels, Canada's proximity to the United States and it largely for-profit healthcare system, as well as corporate interests in a similar conversion.

This federal Liberal stance is a particular danger here in Ontario where Doug Ford's Conservatives have been chipping away at our public health care system and showing an affinity for health care privatization and two-tiered health care.