The 2025 federal election is on Monday, April 28, but not everyone who enters an election campaign necessarily wants to win.
Some folks, like Independent candidate for North Island-Powell River Glen Staples, want to shake things up a little, ask some tough questions and get people talking and thinking about politics a little differently.
"I've been interested in politics my whole life; I ran as a Green Party candidate when I started in 1984," said Staples. "I went around to different [political] parties, trying to work from within the system, and I've come to a conclusion that the whole system is kind of broken."
Staples, who has lived in Courtenay for decades on a small acreage where he raises chickens, said one of the main reasons he decided to run is to attend the all-candidates meetings. He ran as an independent in the 2019 federal election and was happy with the result.
"I want to thank everyone for their kind words of encouragement, and especially for the 350 who voted for me," he stated in a social media message after the election in 2019.
"Now I can get back to getting my firewood in, my hens and gardens."
Staples said he believes the Canadian public would be better served by more independent Members of Parliament.
"I've come to the realization that parties are a big part of the problem," said Staples. "Now you need a million dollars just to run for leader."
He thinks the political system has become too top-down and that the public basically only has a choice between two parties (Liberals and Conservatives).
Although there is the Green Party of Canada and New Democratic Party, neither has won the largest share of seats at the federal level and thus has never formed a government.
"The other big problem now is polarization," said Staples. "I'm strong on the environment, but on social issues, I agree more with the right [wing parties]."
Staples said he disagreed with most of what former prime minister Justin Trudeau put into place.
"The one good thing he [Trudeau] did was the carbon tax," said Staples. "So what does Pierre Poilievre do? For years, he ran against the carbon tax, and he managed to get rid of it, not just federally, but even provincially."
Staples confesses that this time around, as an independent candidate, [his campaign] is more of a one-man show and he doesn't believe he has any chance of winning.
"[I wanted to run] to air out the issues; I think the [Canadian] government is really important," said Staples. "It's the only method we have to solve the large problems and I've done a lot of thinking about it my whole life."
Staples grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan and then went to university in Calgary.
"I lived in Ashcroft for 10 years, then in the Nemaiah Valley, with my wife in Bella Bella, then we moved here [Courtenay] in the fall of 1985."
He said most of the [political] candidates he has met through the years are good people, but that the system is too polarized.
"I'm hoping to get some information out there and a different point of view," said Staples. "I'll bet you at the all-candidates meetings, you'll hear people talking a lot about promises to cut taxes, and then you’ll hear other people talking about promises to start new programs to pay for things, but nobody talks about increasing taxes or cutting programs, because nobody wants to hear that."
Staples said it seems like everyone [the public] wants money for things [like services] but they don't want to pay taxes for it.
"I think the carbon tax was a good thing," said Staples. "People earning minimum wage need their income, and the [Canadian government] is taxing that, and yet, people who have a really expensive yacht that burns a lot of fuel, or they fly back and forth across the ocean, do not have to pay the carbon tax on the omissions that are actually harming our planet."
The independent candidate shared his feelings on how to handle recent actions of US president Donald Trump.
"Trump is a bully, and he looks for victims," said Staples. "He looks for victims like Panama, Greenland and Canada, so I think you have to stand up to him."
If chosen to represent the riding in Ottawa, Staples said he would look at each piece of legislation and decide whether or not it is good for Canada.
"If I went to Ottawa, what I would probably be doing is looking at each particular piece of legislation, and whether it was good for Canada or not.”
"I would be lobbying, trying to get to know the other MPs,” said Staples, “and trying to convince them that they should drop from their party and become independent."
Also seeking to represent North Island-Powell River as MP are Aaron Gunn (Conservative Party of Canada), Tanille Johnston (New Democratic Party), Jennifer Lash (Liberal Party of Canada), Paul Macknight (People’s Party of Canada) and Jessica Wegg (Green Party of Canada). Powell River Chamber of Commerce will host an all-candidates meeting from 6 to 8 pm at Evergreen Theatre in Powell River Recreation Complex on Thursday, April 17.
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