While Canadians prepare to go to the polls, local politicians spoke about the upcoming election and the controversial budget that never made it to a vote.
"People don't want an election," said MP for Westlock-St. Paul Brian Storseth. During his consultations with constituents, "nobody, not one said, 'Let's go to an election.'"
What they want is for the political parties to work together, he said.
Storseth said he has worked hard as an MP for over five and a half years representing constituents' needs and will continue to do so.
"All I can do is work hard and be able to look myself in the mirror in the morning."
Given the agricultural sector's period of relative stability and the number of Canadian troops deployed abroad, Storseth said "this is a time where Canadians need to be able to look at their government and see stability and not an unnecessary election that creates instability."
"Canadians are ready to get their country back," said local Liberal candidate Rob Fox.
The current government has run up a financial deficit, even before the recession, and deteriorated Canada's international reputation, he added.
He said when Canada lost the seat on the United Nations Security Council it was the tip of the iceberg.
"That's not the start of something, that's the result of many things underneath that (the Conservatives) have done internationally or not done."
Fox said the Conservatives are fundamentally changing Canada into a country he doesn't recognize.
When Harper was elected he said people wouldn't recognize the country when he was done with it, he explained.
"That was one thing that he was telling the truth about."
Fox said he is confident in his party and has met Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, who he said was "very personable" and "listens."
He said as long as each party has the same amount of money to spend on national advertising, it
will be an even playing field, noting how Conservatives spent $26 million in taxpayers' money to promote the Economic Action Plan.
Fox mentioned how the proposed F-35 jet purchase was the largest military contract in Canada's history, yet was not tendered.
He also criticized the cuts to tax rates for large corporations saying it means less revenue and more borrowing.
"Why would we cut the (corporate) tax rate and pass those bills onto our kids?"
In the Western world, Canada has the lowest corporate tax rate next to Ireland, a country the EU had to bail out, Fox noted. He refuted the suggestion that a low corporate tax rate creates jobs.
"If it creates jobs, why did Ireland go broke? Why did they have to bail it out?"
He said there was not much in the budget to support as the top up money to the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors worked out to $1.20 a day and the volunteer firefighter tax credit was based on salary, and wouldn't help those with low salaries who need it the most.
Last week before the government was brought down, Storseth called the budget "excellent," and said he was proud to stand behind it, noting how it reduced the deficit by 25 per cent.
He said it was very well-balanced and a very easy budget for rural Canadians to support.
It addressed issues people raised while he went around the constituency, such as volunteer firefighters, seniors, and doctor and nurse recruitment, he explained.
The budget would have forgiven up to $40,000 of federal student loans for doctors and up to $20,000 for nurses to entice them to practice in rural, underserved areas.
Storseth also noted how Alberta's College of Physicians and Surgeons changed the training period requirement for South African doctors coming to Alberta from eight months down to four. He said he has been reassured newly trained South African doctors will qualify to come to Alberta again.
"That's important. Our area is very dependent on South African doctors."
South African doctors were previously exempt from the training period and Storseth still favours this approach.
But there is one thing these two politicians have in common — their desire for people to vote.
"It's important that people come out and make their voices heard and send us back to Parliament with a Parliament that's going to work for Canadians," said Storseth.
"Go vote," said Fox, adding how only 40 per cent of people in the riding voted in the last election, and how people in North Africa are dying for the right to vote.
He said he wants people to ask themselves what they believe in and then to look at who represents that best.
"If that happens, I believe we have a more than even chance."
