Conservative candidate Shelley Downey says she wants a government that will look out for the economy and resource sector in the North Island-Powell River riding.
Downey has longstanding roots in the North Island. She has been a councillor for the Town of Port McNeill for four terms now, and has lived there since 1995. She is a business owner, a rotarian, was a School Board trustee in the 90s, and graduated with a BA Leadership from Trinity Western University in 2014 and holds a Diploma in Accounting from Grande Prairie Regional College.
Downey previously ran as the Conservative candidate for the North Island-Powell River riding in the 2019 federal election, and said she is running again this time because “Canada deserves better than what we have been seeing from our current federal government … that has been propped up by the NDP.”
She noted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has committed numerous ethics violations over his time in office, “and it really feels like Canada hasn’t been looked after as it should be.”
Downey said she feels this election is an important one because since her campaign has started, she has been hearing from constituents that they want “to see Canada united. They’re feeling like every issue is a divisive issue and we need to pull together as one nation and be united and work together.”
She noted some other issues she has been hearing about are the need to tighten spending measures, inflation, and the ever increasing cost of housing. “The cost of housing is impacting people across the whole riding,” she confirmed. “There’s so far been no plan from [the federal government] to increase the housing supply — we have words, we have promises, but the reality is it’s taking a lot longer than it should.”
Downey stated constituents should vote for her because the Conservative party has a plan for Canada’s recovery, and she has seen firsthand the impact the current government has had on local communities. “We’ve seen our resource sectors come under attack, specifically the Discovery Islands decision, which is still being felt across the riding,” she said, adding the recent fishery closures were also devastating to the local economy. “That kind of reckless policy that leaves people unaware and unprepared can’t continue. It is unfair to the residents of this region to be subject to that, people’s livelihoods are at stake … and even worse, our current MP celebrated some of these job losses.”
Downey stressed we need to fight to keep good paying jobs across the riding. “Canada is a country that is very careful at operating at the highest standard of environmental considerations and practices. We have an excellent human rights record, and yet we are taking a hit and everything is being shut down. We need to do better.”
The Conservative platform is available to read online now.
“It is an excellent document and it details the plan that Conservatives have for Canada,” added Downey. “You can be confident a Conservative government will be pulling for all Canadians, and that our policy, practices and operation of government will help all Canadians.”
Downey can be found online, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
RELATED: NDP Candidate says ‘things are changing… and we need consistency’
RELATED: North Island-Powell River Green Party candidate sees climate as only issue in election
RELATED: Local veterinarian selected as Maverick Party candidate in upcoming federal election
@NIGazetteeditor@northislandgazette.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
