OLDS - Judy Bridges is seeking public office for the first time, running against four others in the Olds-Three Hills-Didsbury riding.
The Solidarity Movement of Alberta candidate in the riding, Bridges is a play-school teacher who lives west of Acme in the southeast part of the constituency.
She says if elected on May 29 she plans to make consulting with her constituents an ongoing priority.
“I’d like to see people be able to voice their opinions and listen and try to change the way things are in our world,” Bridges said. “I want to listen to people and do what they want and not just have a few people make the rules for everybody.
“I would want to say what the people want, and I think that is what we need to be doing. Sometimes that seems to be what they (MLAs) are doing, but when they go to the legislature it doesn’t make any difference and they are just doing what their agenda is anyway.”
Asked if she would like to see Alberta become its own nation, she said yes but only as a last resort.
“I love Canada and I would love to stay and be a part of Canada if Canada changes the way they are treating people,” she said.
“If we need to separate because they chose not to listen, it would be something we would have to look at. In my opinion it would be a last resort.”
Bridge says she plans to speak to constituents across the riding through the campaign.
“I’ve been talking to some people already,” she said. “Everybody wants to see change. They want to see a government that is going to listen to them and care about what they want. I’ve heard a lot of people say, yes we need change.
“I think some people are scared that if we don’t vote for this person this (other) person will get in. I keep telling them we have to change that attitude if we ever want to change the way our government is run.”
Bridge says she was very unhappy with how the UCP government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t think there is any way we should have been closed down,” she said. “I totally believe there shouldn’t have been a lockdown. I think people are intelligent enough to make their own decisions.”
She said she was strongly against masking mandates and vaccination requirements.
