The Conservative Party of Canada has selected their man who will run for MP of the newly minted Peace River-Westlock riding in this fall’s federal election.
Barrhead’s Arnold Viersen was the successful candidate after the party’s vote on July 8 when he defeated candidates Jackie Larsen, Eris Moncur and Terry Hogan.
Viersen said he looks forward to working with riding constituents in the months leading up to the election.
“I am grateful and humbled for the support I’ve received,” said Viersen. “I look forward to working with all of you in the future.
“I’d also like to thank the party for running a fair and transparent process and the other candidates for running a strong, clean race.”
Viersen said he attributes his success to a marathon of traveling around the riding, speaking to constituents and hearing their issues and concerns.
He added he is looking forward to bringing issues important to his constituents to the table in Parliament, should he be elected this fall.
“It would be a dream come true for me to represent my home community in the House of Commons,” Viersen said.
“I have a passion for my community, for Canada and for politics in general. I grew up here, being one of four generations that live in the riding. I’ve thought, ‘It’s perfect for me, I hold to traditional rural values and have relationships all over the new riding.’”
Keeping up with infrastructure demands as the population grows, while maintaining rural values, is high up on the agenda for Viersen.
“The riding is continuing to grow. Managing that growth with the proper infrastructure such as transportation, schools, access to health care, is very important to keep our communities thriving,” he said. “At the same time, we care about ensuring that our ‘rural values’ stay intact — community services, the ability to feel safe when we are walking around town and maintaining that local economy is also critical.”
Prior to winning the nomination, Viersen had previously gone on record caring deeply about gun ownership and supporting the Conservative party’s stance on the long-gun registry, as well as being in support of the Temporary Foreign Worker program.
Viersen, who’s married with two kids, is a journeyman mechanic by trade and currently works for Stephani Motors in Barrhead.
He was born and raised in the Neerlandia area where he graduated from the Covenant Canadian Reformed School. He then completed a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, B.C.
The federal election is scheduled for Oct. 19.
