When a new party is formed diligent time is taken to express new views and values among the surrounding turmoil.
Although the leader of The People's Party of Canada (PPC), Maxime Bernier lost his riding on Monday (Oct. 21), and has left the future of the party "up in the air" many fortes were made at a local level with electoral candidate Nadine Wellwood.
The PPC gained no seats in the house and has left followers' and candidates' displaced going forward. Local candidate Nadine Wellwood says currently party members are regrouping and finding their bearings.
"Some of the more active candidates have reached out and we're talking among ourselves. With Max we are just giving him a couple of days to figure out where he wants to go with this. It's quite a blow for him more than anybody else. He had a great vision. He ran an amazing campaign based upon principles. He didn't stoop to the level of some of the other leaders," said Wellwood.
Canadians were in support of the ideas put out by the PPC, but this soon became distorted by fear among other factors.
"If we were really being honest Alberta could have woke up to holding the balance of power. If we had all voted PPC that's 34 MP's that would have given Alberta its own voice in Ottawa," explains Wellwood. "Right now we have to leave it to Jason Kenney and to the province to be that voice."
Controversy has surrounded Andrew Scheer's tactics set forth by Warren Kinsella's Daisy Group Consulting Firm for being behind a social media campaign targeted at keeping PPC leader Maxime Bernier out of federal debates. The partnership between Scheer and Kinsella was named "Project Cactus" and was aimed at making the Conservative Party more appealing to voters while saying the PPC was xenophobic and opposed to immigration. During debates Scheer constantly turned down or refused to answer questions related to this matter.
"I think for a lot of people we need to take a real hard look at who we are putting into positions of power. I don't think it's Canadian, I don't think it's democracy, you'd expect that in third world countries. You don't expect that here and in addition to that you've seen that too with Trudeau and SNC-Lavalin," said Wellwood. "I don't think it was necessarily anything the conservatives said or did because the Liberals are saying and doing it too. I think it's just really what politics have become."
Wellwood added one of the reasons she decided to run was because she believes it is important for Canadians to have real choices and to understand from a honest perspective what those entail. Wellwood pointed out the national media has also been part of the problem rather than an informative, trusting voice.
"Omission of fact is just as hurtful if not more hurtful or harmful as far as allowing people to make informed decisions," expressed Wellwood.
As for her successor Blake Richards, Wellwood said he handled himself very well stating the only ask she has of him is that he stand up for Alberta and truly fight for what the province needs. This would be in the best interest of Canada.
Going forward Wellwood will continue to be involved and educated around the community and within the PPC should they run again.
"Either way, every day I will be doing something to uphold the principles of freedom, fairness, respect and responsibility and I'm in the fight for Alberta."
