CanadaVOTES: Libertarian Kevin Stricker running in Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar

September 27, 2008

On October 14, 2008, Canadians will be heading to the polls for the federal election. Libertarian Party candidate Kevin Stricker is standing for election in the riding of Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar.

Born in Saskatoon, he graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2003, with a B.Sc. with Great Distinction in Computer Science; he received a University Medal in Science. Having worked for several area businesses, this is his first political run. A longtime member of Fair Vote Canada, he currently serves on the Libertarian Party's ethics committee.

Wikinews contacted Kevin, to talk about the issues facing Canadians, and what they and their party would do to address them. Wikinews is in the process of contacting every candidate, in every riding across the country, no matter their political stripe. All interviews are conducted over e-mail, and interviews are published unedited, allowing candidates to impart their full message to our readers, uninterrupted.

The riding includes southwest Saskatoon and area, including rural areas Biggar, Rosetown and Delisle. First elected in 2000, Conservative MP Carol Skelton announced she would not be seeking re-election, and was shuffled out of her Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification cabinet posts.

Winning the Conservative nomination in the riding is acclaimed Mayor of Waldheim Kelly Block, who is joined by Stricker, Amber Jones (Green), Roy Bluehorn (Liberal), Nettie Wiebe (NDP), Marcel Leon Bourassa (Christian Heritage), and independent Rick Barsky.

For more information, visit the campaign's official website, listed below.

Interview
Why are you running for political office, why at the federal level, why this party, and why in this riding?
 * I am running for office with the Libertarian party because I don't feel any of the mainstream parties represent a libertarian view. To me, the federal government should be the most libertarian branch of government, as it is the most far removed from individual Canadians.  I am running in Saskatoon--Rosetown--Biggar as it is my home riding, and I would not be comfortable voting for any of the other candidates this year.

'''Previous to this campaign, have you been politically involved? How will you apply your previous work/volunteer/life experience to serving your constituents?'''
 * This is my first foray into politics. My computer science background will inject some much needed logic into political proceedings ;)

'''As you campaign around your riding, it's likely that some issues are mentioned more often by voters, than other issues. What would you say are the three hottest topics this election, in your riding? What would you and your party do to address these issues?'''
 * Economy: Residents, especially those on a fixed income are concerned about the rising cost of everything. We will work tirelessly to reduce the income tax burden on individuals and families, so people can fully enjoy the fruits of their labor.


 * Environment: People are still very split on this issue. Most Canadians are concerned about the environment and we trust them to act responsibly. If we alleviate the tax burden, families will be able to think less about meeting their basic needs, and more about making environmentally proactive spending decisions.

Is there any misconceptions about you, your leader, or your party and platform?
 * Despite the similar name, we are nothing like the Liberal party.

'''There's a more ways than ever to get your message out, from the traditional campaign fliers and lawn signs, to new media like websites, Facebook, and YouTube. The tried-and-true routes get the message out to the masses much easier, but digital alternatives are much more measurable in how many are seeing or interacting with your campaign. What seems to be the most effective, from your experience?'''
 * Websites, Facebook and YouTube are very cost-effective for grassroots campaigning. How effective they are at reaching a significant portion of the electorate remains to be seen.