It's been a little while since longtime Bow River MP Martin Sheilds announced that he would not run for re-election.
Sheilds has been the MP pf the riding since 2015 and was a member of the Conservative Party.
Historically Bow River has been a stronghold for the Conservatives where in the past three elections they have received over 69 per cent of the vote.
At the time of publication, three men have so far stepped up to represent the Conservative Party in the riding.
Graham Abela is a resident of Taber and has also served as the local police chief.
Abela highlighted a few of his key platforms:
- Wants to protect the rights of people who own firearms.
- Make sure government is small and ensure the rights and freedoms of all individuals.
- Protect the border and communities in the Bow River including Strathmore, Chestermere, Taber, and Vulcan.
The next candidate to announce his intention to seek the Conservative Party nomination is JL DeCosta.
DeCosta was born and raised in Chestermere and later moved to Ottawa to work with Martin Sheilds where he serves as the Director of Parliamentary Affairs.
If elected as the Conservative candidate and Bow River MP, DeCosta said he would focus on a few issues affecting the riding:
- He wants to get rid of the Carbon Tax.
- Fight for Alberta to have a fair deal and fight for Senate reform.
- Ensure Canada is energy independent.
David Bexte is a farmer in the Bow River and has experience working in the oil and gas sector.
According to Bexte, here are a few of his platforms:
- Protect free speech.
- Stop people from crossing the border illegally.
- He also wants to build pipelines and ensure small government.
There is currently no timeline on when nominations will close and when the Bow River Conservatives will pick their next candidate.
StrathmoreNow has contacted each candidate and will provide updates once we hear back from them.