OTTAWA—Parties try to recruit star candidates to take down veteran MPs, show they’re serious about governing if they win, and demonstrate that they’re renewing themselves. Here are some of the federal parties’ big catches this campaign:

Liberals

Steven Guilbeault (Laurier-Sainte-Marie, Que.): Founding member of Equiterre, a major Quebec environmental organization.

Sandra Pupatello (Windsor West, Ont.): Former Ontario cabinet minister from a prominent Windsor family. Challenging longtime NDP MP Brian Masse.

Tamara Taggart (Vancouver-Kingsway, B.C.): Former news anchor for CTV in Vancouver and advocate for cancer patients after her own bout with a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer.

Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Ont.): Olympic gold medallist and world-champion kayaker, challenging Conservative deputy leader Lisa Raitt.

Conservatives

George Canyon (Central Nova, N.S.): Juno-award-winning country singer and actor.

Angelo Esposito (Alfred-Pellan, Que.): Former first-round NHL draft pick.

Sylvie Frechette (Riviere-du-Nord, Que.): Olympic gold medallist in synchronized swimming and Oxfam ambassador.

Richard Lehoux (Beauce, Que.): Former head of the Quebec Federation of Municipalities and 19-year local mayor, challenging former Tory Maxime Bernier who’s now leader of the People’s Party.

Justina McCaffrey (Kanata-Carleton, Ont.): Internationally known wedding-dress designer.

Tom Pentefountas (Laval-Les Iles, Que.): Lawyer, former vice-president of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and former senior figure in the Action democratique du Quebec provincial party.

NDP

Maria Augimeri (Humber River-Black Creek, Ont.): Toronto city councillor for over three decades, challenging longtime Liberal MP Judy Sgro.

Min Sook Lee (Toronto-Danforth, Ont.): Documentary filmmaker and activist, running in Jack Layton’s former riding.

Svend Robinson (Burnaby North-Seymour, B.C.): Prominent former MP from the NDP’s left wing and Canada’s first openly gay member of Parliament.

Emilie Taman (Ottawa Centre, Ont.): Former federal prosecutor and professor at the University of Ottawa, challenging Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

Rudy Turtle (Kenora, Ont.): Chief of Grassy Narrows First Nation, which has struggled for generations with the effects of industrial mercury poisoning.

Greens

Dennis Drainville (Gaspesie-Les-Isles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.): Retired Anglican bishop of Quebec, anti-poverty activist, one-time MPP in Ontario.

Greg Malone (Avalon, N.L.): Co-founder of the CODCO comedy troupe and major figure in the Newfoundland and Labrador cultural scene.

Pierre Nantel (Longueuil-Saint-Hubert, Que.): Two-term member of Parliament for the NDP, which expelled him when word got out he was exploring a candidacy for the Greens.

People’s party

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Steven Fletcher (Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley, Man.): Former federal Conservative cabinet minister, Manitoba MLA and disability advocate.

Renata Ford (Etobicoke North, Ont.): Widow of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, running on his and Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s home turf.

Salim Mansur (London North Centre, Ont.): Retired political-science professor and writer, specializing in the harms of multiculturalism.

Bloc Quebecois

Denis Trudel (Longueuil-Saint-Hubert, Que.): Actor and longtime French-rights activist.

Parties also have to contend with retirements, defections and (occasionally) MPs they no longer want. Some of the best-known examples this time:

Liberals

Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton-Canso, N.S.): Nova Scotia Liberal first elected in 2000 who held his seat through thick and thin.

Mark Eyking (Sydney-Victoria, N.S.): Like Cuzner in the riding next door, elected in 2000 and a stalwart for the party ever since.

Andrew Leslie (Orleans, Ont.): Former general, senior adviser to leader Justin Trudeau, chief whip who never made cabinet, quitting after one term.

Jody Wilson-Raybould (Vancouver Granville, B.C.): Former B.C. Aboriginal leader and Crown prosecutor. Former justice minister expelled from caucus after the SNC-Lavalin affair. Running as an Independent.

Jane Philpott (Markham-Stouffville, Ont.): Physician. Former health minister expelled from caucus after the SNC-Lavalin affair. Like Wilson-Raybould, running as an Independent.

Conservatives

Brad Trost (Saskatoon-University, Sask.): Prominent member of the Tories’ social-conservative wing and former leadership candidate. Lost in a nomination challenge. First elected in 2004.

Kellie Leitch (Simcoe-Grey, Ont.): Former labour minister and leadership candidate. Pediatric orthopedic surgeon. First elected in 2011, recruited by then finance minister Jim Flaherty.

Rob Nicholson (Niagara Falls, Ont.): Former minister of foreign affairs, justice and defence who was a steady, experienced hand in Stephen Harper’s governments. First elected in 1984 and has served continuously since 2004.

NDP

Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley, B.C.): Former finance critic and leadership candidate. First elected in 2004.

Murray Rankin (Victoria, B.C.): Former justice critic who entered politics after a long career as a prominent lawyer in B.C. First elected in 2012.

Romeo Saganash (Abitibi-Baie Jaimes-Nunavik-Eeyou, Que.): Lawyer and Cree leader before entering politics. Former leadership candidate. First elected in 2011.

Helene Laverdiere (Laurier-Sainte-Marie, Que.): Academic and former Canadian diplomat. First elected in 2011, defeating then-Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe.

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