With a new riding comes a new candidate.
The Mail reported in July of last year that Martin Shields, Mayor of Brooks was aiming to be a candidate for the Conservative Party in the new Bow River Constituency in the 2015 Federal election. Today he is ready to go.
He says there are many important issues facing the riding, one on the forefront of many residents’ minds is the dry conditions.
“This is a very strong rural riding, so agricultural issues, in the sense of weather and drought are a huge concern,” he said. “The agriculture sector in the sense of producing products and getting them to market and trade.”
He says the slowdown in the energy sector also affects the riding.
“Oil and gas is a huge part of this particular riding and the activity around that. The control of prices is largely a part of the international community, but on the other hand getting the product to market makes the industry go here.”
He also feels that building and maintaining infrastructure is important.
“Infrastructure is a critical part. If you don’t have roads and bridges to move things on, it doesn’t mater what you produce if you can’t get the out of here.”
Shields has a rural background, born near Lethbridge and has lived in Newell County for 30 years. He is currently mayor of Brooks and is asking for a leave of absence to run in the federal election.
The Bow River Riding includes nearby communities including Standard, Rosebud, Acme, Linden and Carbon.
Nominations close on Monday September 28 and a confirmed candidate list will be released on Wednesday, September 30
So far the Liberal Party, the NDP and Green Party have not announced which candidates will be in the Bow River Riding.
