Danielle Klooster, Alberta Party candidate for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, says her party believes its candidates should understand community, and be community driven and community focused, all of which she lists as her strengths.
“I think that’s what people are looking for,” said Klooster, a first-term Penhold town councillor. “Someone who is not here to represent the government to us but someone who is here to represent us to the government. And is willing to be a passionate advocate for the things that our communities need.”
Klooster, 47, says she grew up Conservative mostly by default but became disillusioned with the way politics was done in the province. She found a place with the Alberta Party, a party that was looking to re-engage Albertans and re-invigorate democracy, she said.
“This is definitely the time when change is in the air,” said Klooster. “People are tired of the status quo. I don’t think they want more of the same, more of the same partisan politics, more rhetoric, more of the game play. They want somebody to provide good common sense value-based leadership.”
In the first week of door knocking during the provincial election campaign, Klooster has heard concerns from residents about the long wait times and travel times for health-care services, the shortage of long-term care beds and the challenges of living with the volatility of the economy.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘I think I have to vote PC because they are the ones that are looking after the economy,”’ said Klooster. “If you believe they are responsible for the good economy then they have to be responsible for the bust. I believe our boom-bust cycles are more related to government policy than they are related to price of a barrel of oil.”
Klooste is married with three grown children and four grandchildren. She grew up in Edmonton, moved to Red Deer in 1997 and finally to Penhold in 2001.
Klooster has taken a leave of absence during the provincial election from Penhold town council and the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce where she works in policy, advocacy and communications.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com