We continue our profile of the five candidates looking to be the next Member of Parliament for the Peace River-Westlock riding. Liberal candidate Leslie Penny, a town councillor in Barrhead, says the party is committed to getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built to send bitumen to the coasts of Canada, especially since the federal government owns the pipeline. However, Penny says global factors have the biggest influences on the prices of our oil. “I know people are very concerned (in this riding) about what has happened in the oil and gas industry in this province, but we also know that we are very dependent on the world market, and what that will bear. Sure, we can get the product to tide, but what will we get for it?”
Penny also mentioned that the liberal government came up with a child tax benefit to make life more affordable for families. She says if elected, she would push for more early childhood education funding. “I would like to see more investments in pre-schools. If you invest in those kids, we don’t invest in jails and prisons later on down the road. It’s a lot cheaper to enrich the life of a youngster than keep someone in prison, even for a year. That is one thing I would push the government for.”
Penny is retired and currently serves on Barrhead town council.
Other candidates campaigning to become our local M.P. are: Arnold Viersen of the Progressive Conservative Party, the Peoples Party of Canada is represented by John Schrader, Peter Nygaard of the Green Party, and Jennifer Villeburn is representing the N.D.P.
To find the voting station closest to your home, click here.
-Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
