The race is on to determine who the Conservative nominee will be to replace Gerry Ritz as MP in Battlefords-Lloydminster.
Declaring his intentions on Monday was Aron Klassen, a Lloydminster local business owner, who announced in a news release that he had launched his bid for the nomination.
Klassen runs Tunes Music and Audio, a business that in 2016 was recognized by the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year.
Klassen is also a board member on the Lloydminster Chamber. He is married to Kristine and has three children, Nora, Amelia and Pearle.
It appears business and tax issues will be a central focus to Klassen’s campaign. According to his campaign’s news release Monday, Klassen “could no longer sit idly by as his children’s futures were mortgaged by reckless spending and gross mismanagement of the economy. The Liberals recent tax hikes have made it more difficult for entrepreneurs to maintain and grow their businesses. They have introduced higher small business tax rates, increased payroll taxes, and introduced a carbon tax. It is clear that this Government does not understand what it takes to run a business, or a country.”
Klassen has also indicated his support for personal liberty, and for creating an economic atmosphere conducive to business. His website is now up at www.aronklassen.com.
It is still early days in the campaign to replace Ritz, who announced his resignation as MP on Aug. 30. A by-election date has not yet been set for the riding.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called by-elections for two other constituencies for Oct. 23: the Alberta riding of Sturgeon River-Parkland and the Quebec riding of Lac-Saint-Jean.
