The Southwest Booster

Maverick Party first out of the gate during federalcam­paign

- SCOTT ANDERSON SOUTHWEST BOOSTER

Canadian voters will head to the polls on September 20 to vote in the 44th federal general election.

With nomination­s open until 21 days before election day, there are currently three candidates running to serve as Member of Parliament for Cypress Hills Grasslands.

Incumbent MP Jeremy Patzer of the Conservati­ve Party of Canada cruised to victory in the 2019 election by securing just over 81 per cent of the vote.

Alex Mcphee is confirmed as NDP candidate for Cypress Hills-grasslands

Maverick Party candidate Mark Skagen had a previously scheduled campaign launchplan­ned or August 15, which happened to be the kick off date for the 2021 federal campaign.

Skagen said the fledgling Maverick Party attracted himbecause of their priority focus on improving life for Western Canadians.

“When I read the background on Maverick and some of the policies they have and the direction they want to take things, I’m like these people think like I do. How refreshing tofind other folks who think like me. And I’m finding more and more of them all the time.”

“It’s an idea whose time has come.i think there’s somuch frustratio­n with federal politics, especially right here in Southwest Saskatchew­an. They ’re just fed up,” he saidduring Sunday’s campaign event.

He said the Maverick Party has a simple philosophy focused on the four western provinces.

“If we’re fortunate enough to actually be presented with a bill sometime in the future, if it’s good for the West you vote yes. If it’s not good for the West you vote no. It’s just so simple. And we’re the only party that’s doing that. Again the other parties absolutely have to pander to the Golden Triangle.”

The Maverick Party intends to contest 27 western ridings and serve as a voice for Western Canada, a voice he contends is not being heard in Ottawa.

“We don’t seek to form government.we seek to be a voice. And I think that’s a big difference,” he said. “We’re looking for an opportunit­y to free the people of the west from the subjugatio­n they have to Central Canada.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if those things that effect us here in the West were determined by people who live in the West. It’s such a simple concept. As Maverick’s we’re only representi­ng people in the West.”

“Although the other parties say they want to have voice for the west, in reality they want to speak for the Golden Triangle and the West comes second. But with the Mavericks the West comes first.it’s unabashed. It’sabsolutel­y for the West only.”

Allan Kerpan, Interim Deputy Leader of the Maverick Party, was also in attendance to help kick off the federal election campaign. As one of the leaders at the helm of a party which is still under a year old, he is anticipati­ng harnessing the alienation, anger, and frustratio­n with Ottawa that exists in the West.

“We’re a party that was born in the West. We’ll always be for the West.”

Kerpan was involved with the Reform Party starting in Saskatchew­an during the 1993 election, and he was in the room the day the Saskatchew­an Party was founded.

“This one’s different because the feeling I get when I travel the country is way stronger than when we started Reformor the Saskatchew­an Party for that matter. There are way more people who are saying I’ve had enough.”

He would liketo see the Maverick Party have the same impact as the Bloc Quebecois.

“They got everything they wantedout of Confederat­ion. Everything. They got control over immigratio­n, over taxation, their own police force, their own pension plan. And they’re on the receiving end of someplace in the neighbourh­ood of $10 to $15 billion a year in equalizati­on.”

Kerpan would alsolike to see Saskatchew­an’s equalizati­on dollars remain in the province for the benefit of Saskatchew­an residents.

“We are going tomake a change for the West. We are going tobecome more independen­t. We might be independen­t within confederat­ion, or we might be independen­t outside of confederat­ion. Frankly I don’t care, as long as we can look our children andour grandchild­ren in the eye and say you know what, Idid something. I changed something. If you don’t do it who’s going to do it? And if you don’t do it right now, when are you going to do it?”

 ?? SCOTT ANDERSON/SOUTHWEST BOOSTER ?? Cypress Hills Grasslands Maverick Party candidate Mark Skagen kicked off his campaign on Sunday.
SCOTT ANDERSON/SOUTHWEST BOOSTER Cypress Hills Grasslands Maverick Party candidate Mark Skagen kicked off his campaign on Sunday.

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