Vicky Bayford, the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) candidate for Yellowhead, is motivated by a desire to bring change and restore Canada’s strength.
A lifelong Albertan, Bayford was born in Fort McMurray, raised in Calgary, and now lives in Innisfail. She has worked in the oil and gas sector for much of her career, specializing in regulatory consulting and operations. While she doesn’t reside in the Yellowhead riding, Bayford was asked by the PPC to run after the party saw an opening in the region, as she says the PPC already had a “really good candidate” in her riding.
Bayford has been politically active for five years with smaller provincial parties. She says her decision to run for federal office is to secure a better future. “I think most people in Canada, but I especially feel it here in Alberta, know that the country is just not running the way that it should be running,” she says. “I want to make changes so that there’s a future for my kids and my now grandson. And I want to make sure that we can get back to a place that we’re proud of and actually be the strong country that I know we can be.”
Bayford says she brings a wealth of experience in problem-solving to the table. “I really understand policy. I’m a high-level thinker where I can kind of see outcomes before they come to pass. I’m pretty good on my feet as far as being able to make decisions.” Bayford also points to her experience as a single mother, saying it has made her resilient and persistent.
If elected, Bayford promises to stay connected with her constituents, and speak her mind. “I’m really happy that the PPC does not have a party whip, so I know that if I’m elected I’ll have the freedom to actually represent the wishes of the constituents,” she says adding that if she does win, she hopes to host regular community gatherings to get feedback from residents to determine what policies they actually support.
Bayford acknowledges the challenges of representing such a large and diverse riding, which stretches from Banff to Grande Cache. “I want to try to get people to find a middle ground or a place that we can all agree on, so that when I’m going to Ottawa, I can properly represent the values within my own riding.”
On Canadian sovereignty, Bayford emphasizes its importance to maintaining freedoms. “Sovereignty is the most important thing we have. That’s what gives us our freedom,” she says. “But I do think it needs to start at a personal level, like in everyone’s household. We have to start taking accountability and responsibility for our actions, whether that’s at the polls or whether that’s making a decision about your children.”
Bayford added that recent challenges also presents an opportunity. “Canada does need to take a step back and really think about the future of Canada,” she says. “I think right now there’s way too much government interference— for people to start a business, every industry that we have, it’s so overregulated, it’s hard to be competitive within the world. So I think this is a good chance for Canada to take a step back and go how can we become self-sufficient.”
Bayford adds, she recognizes the challenges of running without the backing of a legacy party, but says she is committed to connecting with voters. “I understand that, I’m going to work hard and try to show people what I’m about, what the PPC platform is about and at the very least make some new connections.”
So far, along with the PPC nominating Bayford, two other parties have nominated candidates in the Yellowhead riding:
- Avni Soma has been nominated by the New Democratic Party (NDP).
- William Stevenson has been nominated by the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC).
- Michael Fark has been nominated by the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC).
94.5 Rewind Radio News has reached out to all declared candidates for an interview.
Voters head to the polls on April 28.
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