Candidate for People’s Party of Canada (PPC) in the Battle River -Crowfoot by-election got a boost on Canada Day as national Leader Maxime Bernier joined him on the route of the Canada Day parade.
Jonathan Bridges is launching his second campaign in just a few short months. He previously ran in Battle River-Crowfoot riding in the 2025 federal election, and his third overall when he ran in the Bow River riding before the electoral boundaries were redistributed. He said Bernier's coming was in the works for a while.
“We were talking about a month ago because we knew the by-election was coming up, and he wanted to come out and campaign for that,” said Bridges. “We were planning to be there for the parade. I grew up in the area and have been to the festivities a few times over the years.”
He suggested the parade to Bernier, and he was game.
He selected the PPC because he says it aligns with his values.
“In 2020, I didn't like what the government was doing and figured they could just lock us in our homes, so I thought about leaving the country and finding somewhere else to live, but looking around the world, there wasn’t a better option,” he said. “In 2021, I ended up at a freedom rally in Edmonton, and I heard Maxime speak there, and everything about his platform resonated with me.”
At the rally, he offered to help the party, not knowing what his role would be. He kept in communication, and eventually, he was invited to run as a candidate.
“Since then, I have become really more aware of how far mainstream political parties have drifted from the values that I believe the common Canadian holds,” he said. “A lot of those values are the Judeo-Christian values. The law of our land was built on the word of God in our Bible, and most of our political parties want nothing to do with religion of any kind, except for it seems every other religion around the world.”
He says his message is resonating with voters.
“Most people I talk to agree with my platform. A few people I talk to can’t find anything they disagree with,” he explains.
Bridges was born and raised in the Three Hills area, and his family goes back five generations. He is a truck and trailer mechanic by trade. His trade makes it difficult to campaign as he is working in Slave Lake.
“I can’t even be in my riding during the week that I work, so it is a challenge,” he said.

Candidates are lining up to race for the Battle River-Crowfoot constituency seat, and last week the Liberal Party of Canada announced that petroleum engineer Darcy Spady will be their candidate in the August 18 by-election.
Spady is familiar with the riding, growing up in the Three Hills area, and his family farmed west of Acme.
“I know the hard work and values that define our communities and I’m ready to be a strong voice for people across Battle River—Crowfoot as your next Member of Parliament, ” said Darcy Spady. “It’s time to build, to be bold and ambitious, and I've seen firsthand how our region can lead the way. That’s why I’m running to fight for your priorities and build a stronger Alberta and Canada.”
Professionally, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Alberta. According to a release, as a professional engineer, he led and advised companies in the energy sector across Alberta and around the world, including serving as the 2018 International President of the Society of Petroleum Engineers for a three-year mandate.
Today, he is a partner in a Canadian emissions reduction company that he co-founded, and serves on several boards advancing cleantech, energy poverty awareness, and more.
He is supportive of students pursuing engineering and is a member of the Petroleum Industry Advisory Board for the University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering. He has also established the Spady Family Scholarship, aimed at helping rural Alberta students pursuing arts, humanities, and religious studies.
“Darcy has deep roots in Battle River—Crowfoot, a successful career in Alberta’s energy sector, and a lifelong commitment to creating opportunities across the province,” said Sachit Mehra, President of the Liberal Party of Canada. “While Pierre Poilievre looks out for himself in this by-election, Darcy is ready to work with Mark Carney and our Liberal team to bring down costs, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy that serves everyone.”