Most singer/songwriters in the world who have political aspirations usually voice their opinions through song, through news conferences and in the newspaper. But, how often do they actually run for office?
Kaitee Dal Pra has spent her life growing up in Cochrane, performing in coffee shops, on street corners and in school. But at 21 the woman known more for her musical ambitions is doing more than just talking about change, she’s trying to be a part of it.
She is running for a seat on town council.
“It’s really exciting to be a part of this (election). Being born and raised here I feel like I just really want to make a difference,” said Dal Pra.
“(Politics) has always kind of been there in my life. I’ve been involved in the community and with music for awhile and after taking time to think about what it means to be involved in local municipal politics, I feel it’s a good fit,” Dal Pra said.
Dal Pra will likely face hard questions in the coming weeks, but being known firstly as a singer, the first one is: Why the move to politics?
Dal Pra, said that being a long time resident has given her a chance to see Cochrane grow and change and while it’s nice to see more hustle and bustle around town, it might be time to take a look at what Cochranites want.
“I believe in three core values: family, fiscal responsibility and the future of Cochrane,” she said.
Those “core values” as she explains, all fit together in that Dal Pra said she will work to make sure that Cochrane continues to put on world class events and continues to be a family friendly community, but not at the expense of the taxpayers.
We cannot mortgage the future of Cochrane, Dal Pra said.
“I would like to see us add new centres, new events and so on, but I don’t want to see taxes raised and use funds where they’re not currently available,” she said. “But at the end of the day, I would be a representative of Cochrane and I want to hear what you, Cochrane, have to say and ideas you may have along the way.”
