Maria Rose Lewans is becoming a fixture in local elections.
The former candidate for municipal and provincial elections is running in her third federal election.
"I care about my community," Lewans said. "Saskatchewan is one big community and it's hard not to notice how much people are struggling... people aren't being fulfilled by life. It's hard to notice that and just to sit by and not do anything.
"I just don't know what else to do, so I just keep putting my name forward trying to expand the conversation. That's maybe all I can do, but at least I can try."
Lewans is an independent candidate hoping to draw voters fed up with party politics.
"All of our conversations about world issues have become so polarized," she noted. "That we're not really thinking rationally about what we're doing or how we've structured society and how we've gotten into this mess in the first place. I get frustrated with all that divisiveness and our inability to adjust to what's going on in world affairs without putting people in a state of panic."
Lewans, who operates Lewans Plumbing in Swift Current, wants to see a bigger conversation about the state of society.
"I think we should be essentially dismantling the system we've created of industrialization, and we should be weaning ourselves off technology to get back to a place that's more in line with community living," Lewans suggested. "Try to live in a way that's more respectful of nature and animals and each other. Really question or decide what the meaning of life is and what does it mean to live a fulfilling life and just to open people up to the idea that we do have choice.
"We should be working to get rid of these global supply networks and look to create local living based on the principles of freedom instead of trapping us in these highly stressed economic systems that are essentially one big Ponzi scheme. We're sick and tired of this system that is fundamentally unjust, and we demand change."
Lewans received 220 votes in 2019 and 193 in 2021. After competing against six other candidates in the 2021 Cypress Hills-Grasslands election, there are only three other candidates in Swift Current-Grasslands-Kindersley this year. Lewans is hopeful that could open the door to more voters.
"I'm hoping so," she added. "One of the problems is I feel a lot of people just pay attention to what's going on with the leaders, and they forget that there's a difference between their local candidates and then they do have choices out there that maybe they're not recognizing that might be more in line with their values and where they think society should be heading."
Lewans is running against the incumbent Conservative MP Jeremy Patzer, Liberal candidate William Caton, and NDP candidate Alex McPhee.
PPC candidate Terry Sieben stepped down for health reasons, and the Green Party's declared candidate North Hunter no longer appears on their website.
Election day is April 28th.