Election season in Canada has been over for several months, and that was no different for the residents of Battle River-Crowfoot.
On election night, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was defeated in his Ontario riding of Carleton in an upset. However, Poilievre vowed to stay on as leader after the Conservatives gained votes and seats nationwide.
Earlier this year, former Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek announced he would resign the seat and let Poilievre run in a by-election to return to Parliament. Kurek resigned on June 30.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the by-election for August 18, plunging the riding back into campaign mode.
With the federal parties placing candidates to run, one woman decided to go for the seat as an Independent.
Sarah Spanier, a resident of Caster, is taking on the campaign.
Spanier has lived in the riding for a year and has a background working in childcare, the justice field, and working for the Bowden Institution.
Spanier explained why she moved to the riding.
"I moved here because I wanted to move to a small town. I wanted that small-town feel, and I have it here. Caster is such an amazing place. I am obsessed with it. It's just wanting that small rural Alberta lifestyle."
Historically, getting elected as an Independent in Canada is hard, and only a handful of people have done it, with the last being Jody-Wilson Raybould in 2019. However, Spanier said the riding needs an independent voice.
"Having a minority government, as an independent, is like one of the best things that you can do for your riding. I can vote based on what the people in the riding want. I don't have to be held to a policy, and if one of the parties wants my vote, I can say something like, "Sure, I will vote for that policy, but not until the people of rural Alberta get what is owed to them."
Spanier told StrathmoreNow that Kurek's resignation was not fair.
"I know that Damien Kurek had put out a letter to everybody in the riding saying that he was coming back in the next election. It's also been said that he's going to be helping Pierre along this entire journey as well. I don't understand why somebody who is going to run as the opposition leader would need that assistance."
Spanier is running her campaign based on economically conservative and socially liberal views.
She has also laid out three core policy ideas that have to do with the cost of living, rural economic development, and government accountability for both sides of the aisle.
"I've actually put forth a draft of a bill called the Affordable Food for All Act, which would help combat price gouging for major grocers. It would also help reduce food waste by ensuring that the food that grocery stores are throwing out would go to food banks and help people in need."
Spanier expressed that during this campaign, she wants to be listened to.
"They should take a chance on me because I'm actually going to represent them. If people are willing to take the time to listen to what I have to say, I promise you I will do the things that you guys are asking for. I am 100 per cent here for the people. I want to hold our government accountable, and I want to see change happen, like actual change. None of this monitoring or anything, I want to implement change."
Residents of Battle River-Crowfoot will vote for their next MP on August 18.