Black Press Media has reached out to all Central Alberta candidates for the 2025 Federal Election and asked four questions:
1) Why are you running to be a Member of Parliament?
2) What skills do you have that make you suitable for this role?
3) What is your plan to address affordability and the cost-of-living crisis?
4) How do you think Canada should handle threats to its sovereignty?
Candidates were given a 500-word limit to answer these questions. Answers may have been edited for grammar or length.
The Federal Election is April 28. Advanced voting starts on April 18.
Riding: Yellowhead
Candidate: Avni Soma- NDP
Why are you running to be a Member of Parliament?
I've been campaigning for 7 months now because I believe that rural Alberta is where change is needed most. I’ve seen families here in Yellowhead struggle with healthcare closures, rising costs, and being left behind by decisions made in Ottawa. I’ve built food programs, led community initiatives, and worked on national policy, but I want to take that work further. I’m running to bring a strong, honest voice to Parliament, one that listens, leads, and puts people before politics.
What skills do you have that make you suitable to be an MP?
I’m a scientist, small business founder, and mother who’s spent 15 years building food systems and leading non-profits. I co-founded a local food business that grew to $1.2M in sales while supporting small scale farmers in AB and BC. I’ve advised federal the minister of agriculture through the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council. But more than anything, I build relationships, listen deeply, and bring people and community together.
What is your plan to address affordability and the cost-of-living crisis?
I’ve worked to shorten supply chains and build resilience from the ground up, so I understand what drives costs. The NDP would raise the untaxed income threshold, remove GST from essentials like energy and internet, and expand $10-a-day child care, dental care, and pharmacare. We’d also double the Disability Benefit and boost EI. These are practical steps to help families now, while ensuring corporations and billionaires pay their fair share.
How do you think Canada should handle threats to its sovereignty?
We must take threats to sovereignty seriously, especially in the North. That means investing in Arctic infrastructure, rebuilding key bases like Inuvik, and protecting our northern waters. We also need economic resilience, stronger local supply chains, fair trade, and reduced reliance on foreign powers. Defending sovereignty means protecting our democracy, our economy, and our environment, while staying rooted in diplomacy, human rights, and peacekeeping.
