Canadian elections are often dominated by the Conservatives, Liberals, and the New Democratic Party.
However, many smaller parties running for seats in the House of Commons aim to give a voice to Canadians who feel their concerns are not represented by the three major parties.
The Citizen spoke to Green Party representatives from both ridings and heard their thoughts on the recent elections.
Jodie Capling was the Green Party candidate in the Cariboo-Prince George riding. She holds a master's degree in resource management and has worked in energy efficiency for more than five years.
“It was a very interesting experience,” said Capling. “I enjoyed many parts of it, and I think the thing I enjoyed most was connecting with people in our riding. I talked to a lot of people I wouldn’t necessarily have spoken with if I wasn’t running. Even people who weren’t Green supporters were very open, kind, and supportive of my decision to step forward and participate in our democracy.”
Capling is a strong supporter of the Green Party, and one of her main reasons for running was to provide Green voters in a traditionally conservative area with a candidate to support.
“Basically, in previous federal elections, there haven’t been Green candidates in our area to vote for,” said Capling. “I was quite disappointed, so when the Green Party called me up and asked if I was interested in running, I was like, ‘Yeah!’ I put my time and effort where my beliefs are. I decided to step in because I think it’s valuable, even in a traditionally conservative area, for people to have the option to vote for a party that aligns with their values. That’s why I ran.”
She also believes there are steps the Green Party can take to help Prince George realize its potential.
“I think it’s about helping people realize that it’s not environment versus economy,” said Capling. “We have a natural-resource-based economy in this area, and we can make a sustainable, strong economy with good jobs without destroying the environment. That’s something people don’t necessarily know we can do.”
Mary Forbes, the Green Party candidate and former oil patch archaeologist and environmental educator, also supports the environment.
One of the reasons she decided to run was the flexibility of the Green Party’s platform.
“I really like the platform because the Green Party says you don’t have to toe the party line,” said Forbes. “You decide what works for your region, and the Green Party will support you because you are their representative. You are not just the Green Party’s representative; you are your constituents’ representative first. That really spoke to me.”
Forbes’s experience in the oil patch has helped her understand the challenges Prince George faces in terms of energy expansion and moving beyond a “boom and bust” economy.
“They (the Green Party) were doing some great things, but they got shut down,” said Forbes. “They were almost ready to open another wind farm when they got shut down in favour of Site C. Then, there are continuing subsidies to oil and gas when we have other energy options. I’m not saying we shouldn’t support oil and gas — our industry is built on it — but those subsidies need to be spread around so we can have another infrastructure to rely on. We don’t want to keep going through boom and bust. I hope the conservative leadership heard my point and that they will take into account the green voices in that region.”
Forbes added that, despite warnings from law enforcement agencies, she had a very positive campaign and was grateful for the experience.
“We were warned by CSIS and the RCMP to keep our heads down,” said Forbes. “But I never felt any animosity or unkindness in person. I got some weirdness on the internet, but you know, that’s just a fact. Everyone was super nice and welcoming. I appreciate that very much.”
The independent candidate in Cariboo-Prince George was Kenneth B. Thomson.
Thomson has a diverse background in large retail store management, software development, and is currently a lawyer focusing on family and criminal law.
He said that despite having a brief campaign, he was still satisfied with the results.
“It was a very brief campaign, as I came to it very late,” said Thomson. “I only decided to even consider running in January. I was surprised that the election came up as soon as it did. I was hoping I’d have until next fall to prepare. I didn’t get a large percentage of the votes, but I received a significant number. That’s encouraging. If I had more time to put together a platform for an independent, I think an independent could win here. I don’t think the Conservative representative is serving the constituency well.”
Thomson also shared his concern about the decreasing quality of life in Canada, attributing it to the rising influence of corporate and private interests.
“I’m an older individual, and I’ve lived through many changes in Canada,” said Thomson. “Over the decades, Canada’s standard of living has been downgraded. Public interest has been sidelined. It’s no longer the forefront issue. We’re always looking at things from a private interest perspective. We need to reassert ourselves to restore the viability of the middle class. If we continue down this path, the vast majority of people are just going to fall into poverty.”
He also emphasized the need for long-term planning, citing examples from other nations.
“The big thing I have to say is, let’s just calm down,” said Thomson. “Let’s stop reacting to everything. We need to look at countries like Russia and China, which engage in long-term planning. They don’t react to things on a whim. Look at China. Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty. That took planning. Russia has faced over 28,000 sanctions, more than any other nation. Yet their GDP, their economy, and the standard of living for the average person have all improved. We need to stop reacting and start planning.”
Jake Wiens of the Christian Heritage Party also ran in the Cariboo-Prince George riding. Wiens has worked as a teacher for more than two decades at Cedars Christian School in Prince George.
He said that running for office had always been on his "bucket list."
“I would say it’s a bucket list experience that people should consider at least once in their lifetime,” said Wiens. “I needed to put it on my bucket list so I could cross it off. It was an enjoyable experience. I saw the election from this perspective. It was a learning experience. You get to understand how these things work and learn more about yourself. I realized I’m not as good at thinking on my feet as I thought. I’ve written a book or two, so I like to reflect on what I say and edit it. A few times, I stumbled, but otherwise, it was enjoyable.”
Wiens said a highlight of his campaign was the Quesnel rally and meeting new people while travelling around his riding.
When asked why he chose to run for the Christian Heritage Party, he said it was to give the church a voice.
“I believe the church is very much a part of Canadian history,” said Wiens. “It needed a voice, and I thought, if no one else steps forward, then I will. I thought it was meaningful. I addressed issues no one else was talking about. Canada has a lot of problems, and most of them are superficial. No one addresses the deep moral issues that are destroying the country from the inside out. If you know a bit of history, you realize that empires don’t fall from external forces — they fall from within. That’s what we’re seeing in Canada.”
Looking back on his campaign, Wiens expressed gratitude for those who voted for him and respectfully engaged with him.
“Thank you to the few people who voted for me,” said Wiens. “I don’t know how many I got yet — maybe a couple of hundred — but thank you for that. I realized that the points I was raising at the rallies were very right-wing, but I appreciated the people who listened to me. They didn’t throw eggs at me, so that was good! They were respectful, and I appreciate that. I think there’s a place for talking about the serious issues facing this country, not just the superficial ones.”
Rudy Sans, who ran for the People's Party of Canada in Cariboo-Prince George, said he was encouraged by a meet-and-greet he held at the Parkhill Centre Hall on the Friday before the election.
"Yeah, I had a good rally in PG," he said. "And I met lots of people who understand the difference between voting for a popular party and a guaranteed winner as opposed to voting for your conscience and your values."
Overall, Sans said, he was disappointed that most voters stuck with the status quo.
"I was pleased with my campaign. Proud of what I accomplished," he said. "And my only comment is that in Cariboo-Prince George, by my calculations from CBC and ElectionsCanada.ca, 58,597 voters voted for globalist agendas."
The Citizen reached out to People’s Party of Canada David Watson (Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies) but did not hear back.
