A fifth candidate for the Peace River-Westlock constituency seat in the House of Commons has been confirmed and Jennifer Villebrun will fly the NDP banner in the lead-up to the Oct. 21 federal election.
Villebrun is a veteran of the political scene in northern Alberta at this point, having run for the NDP in the 2011 election and for the Green Party in 2008. The former lawyer, who now lives in Sunset House, about halfway between High Prairie and Valleyview, is transitioning to a new career in education after a life-altering accident made her rethink what she was doing with her life. She is about halfway through her online teaching degree.
“I originally didn’t think I would run this time, but when it came down to it, I thought it was important that someone run in this riding, so I did it anyway,” said Villebrun, soon after her candidacy became official Sept. 27.
Villebrun joins previously declared candidates Peter Nygaard for the Green Party, Leslie Penny for the Liberal Party, John Schrader for the People’s Party and incumbent MP Arnold Viersen for the Conservative Party.
“This is my third time running for office and I guess the thing for me is that I just see such a struggle with so many people in our community. People that I know that have families are just having a hard time making it. I don’t know how some of them do it on minimum wage jobs, with the expenses of living in a place like northern Alberta,” she said.
“We’ve had a Conservative leadership in this riding for as long as I can remember and nothing ever seems to change up here, so for me it’s just time that we do something different.”
She alluded to the New Democrats’ plan to introduce pharmacare, that would see the costs of medications taken care of by the federal government, and would benefit thousands of people in the riding who struggle to pay for medication, especially seniors and the low-income population, she said.
The party’s commitment to childcare is another reason Villebrun said she joined the NDP.
“I don’t have children myself, but many of my friends and family do and a lot of them are paying $1,000 or more to have their child be in care and at the end of the day all they’re doing when they go to work is paying for their child to be somewhere else,” said Villebrun. “I don’t think we’re setting our families up for a very successful life when everything they’re making is going to childcare.”
Villebrun said she’s also proud of the NDP’s background in supporting workers and the party’s commitment to work with First Nations communities and individuals in building Indigenous entrepreneurship, should they be elected to govern.
“That is something that could really be a big help in moving the economy forward up here,” she said, which also includes diversifying Albertan industries, be it the auto sector, manufacturing solar panels or making sure skilled workers in any industry can find a job in Alberta.
“Growing up here, obviously the oilfield is an important industry, but I’d really like to see more opportunities develop in other industries so we’re not so reliant on one single industry.”
As a former Green Party candidate, Villebrun said she still holds environmental issues close to her heart.
“I feel there’s a lot of people in this riding that share those opinions, but at the end of the day I just felt the NDP had a more balanced plan and that’s what drew me to the party,” she said.
As far as the old adage that you could paint a rock blue and run it as the Conservative candidate in this riding and it would still win the election, Villebrun said she recognizes she's in tough in a riding that is traditionally very conservative leaning.
"I often feel frustrated when I talk to some people in the riding, because it is a very true perspective from the things that I've seen. There are many progressive people in our riding," said Villebrun. "I've met many people who have had opinions about issues and when they learn of the NDP's actual position, they've been really surprised. Things have always been this way so people tend to go with what is familiar."