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People’s Party of Canada becomes official in central Alberta

Interest high in PPC in Alberta
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Lacombe’s Ron Vaillant (right) pictured with People’s Party of Canada party leader Maxime Bernier. Vaillant has stepped forward as a would-be candidate for the People’s Party of Canada for the Red Deer-Lacombe riding. Photo contributed

Albertans are reportedly highly interested in the People’s Party of Canada, including residents in the Red Deer-Lacombe riding.

Annick Baldwin, president of the party’s Red Deer-Lacombe riding association, said according to statistics the party leader shared last fall, the percentage of members based on population is highest in Alberta, when compared to all other provinces in Canada.

Baldwin said that’s because the party and leader Maxime Bernier’s message is consistent with Albertan values, such as paying less taxes and the entrepreneurial spirit.

The People’s Party of Canada’s electoral district association was formally registered March 25 with Elections Canada. This means local donations will go towards the riding association to cover costs such as marketing and to promote party events.

Open town-hall-type events, which will be planned later on in various central Alberta communities, will be important to raise awareness, as the People’s Party of Canada is a fairly new movement, the riding president explained.

“Some people are still not too aware of who this party is, but we haven’t really done too much marketing yet,” she said, pointing to becoming officially registered locally only recently.

There are close to 200 party members in the Red Deer-Lacombe riding, she said.

“The interest is very positive.”

Baldwin said that interest in the party and the federal election coming up will be higher once the provincial election wraps up.

Those seeking nominations in the local riding have until April 23 to come forward. Voting dates for members will be revealed later.

So far, Lacombe’s Ron Vaillant has stepped forward as a would-be candidate for the riding. There is interest from at least one more candidate, Baldwin confirmed.

Vaillant, a tradesman, said he has closely observed what’s been happening in Canada for the longest time, but didn’t think of joining politics until the People’s Party of Canada was formed.

He agrees with its platform, such as scrapping the carbon tax, working towards inter-provincial and free trade and changing immigration.

“The other big thing is Alberta has been hammered economically. We can’t get our oil to West Coast, nor the East Coast because of the pipelines, and neither the Liberals or the Conservatives managed to put pipelines through,” Vaillant said.

“I see PPC as a vehicle that can save Canada from the situation we’re in,” he said.

He blames both Liberals and Conservatives for creating a tremendous amount of debt federally.

“Depending on where you get that number, it ranges around $740 billion,” the Lacombe husband and father said.

“That’s a great concern to me, because you see Venezuela and the situation is poor there.”

For more information visit the party website at peoplespartyofcanada.ca.



mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com

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