Nadine Wellwood is among the candidates seeking to finish in the top three in the Alberta election for Senate nominees.

 

Wellwood, along with two other representatives of the People's Party of Canada (PCC), wants Albertans to know they're here to stand up for the core principles of their political party. She will continue to push for fiscal responsibilities and reforms that will provide Alberta a fair deal.

"They capture everything that Albertans want. We want a fair deal in Ottawa. We want respect from Canadians. We want our freedoms back. We, as Albertans, accept personal responsibility for the actions that we take and for the directions we take as a province."

She believes it's an entirely different beast than the vote Monday for the Banff-Airdrie seat in the House of Commons, where she finished fourth. She believes people won't be forced to vote the party line.

"This one is not about splitting the vote. You have to vote for your conscience here, and you get to vote for what you want as an Albertan, and the person you feel best represents you as an Albertan."

She says Albertans deserve to have an elected representative at every level of government, including Canada's upper house that is designed to provide a second somber thought on decisions reached in the House of Commons.

On July 15, Premier Jason Kenny announced the senate nominees' vote would be held in conjunction with the municipal and school board elections on Oct. 18. He said having representatives elected by Albertans would increase senators’ accountability to Alberta voters to defend the province’s interests.

The idea was to allow Albertans to elect three Senate nominees, one for each of the two current vacancies, and one in case of early retirement. Since then, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has filled one of the positions by appointing Karen Sorenson, the former mayor of Banff. One vacancy remains.

Wellwood calls Trudeau's decision to appoint Sorenson another slap in the face to Alberta but believes the province shouldn't throw in the cards.

"We believe our officials at every level of government, including Senate, should be elected, and we go through that process, and we allow all of Canada to see how we are being treated, but we don't give up, we stay in the fight, and do what's right."

She'll be touring the province with fellow candidates Ann McCormack and Kelly Lorencz. They'll be joined at some point by PPC leader Maxime Bernier.

There are 14 people in the running, and electors can vote for three of them.

Alberta has held four Senate votes. Of the 10 successful candidates in the provincial elections, five became Senators. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appointed Stan Waters in 1990, and the other four were appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.