By Spencer Sterritt

POLL:What the people want: Election issues in Shellbrook

Sep 22, 2015 | 6:55 AM

With the Canadian election just four weeks away, paNOW visited Shellbrook to ask what issues were closest to the community’s hearts.

Unsurprisingly, the economy seemed to be the largest concern.

“Living in a small town, there’s always businesses moving out,” said Judy Lin. “With the farmers here in the area (the economy) is really important.”

Farmers aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch.

Fluctuating oil prices have also affected Shellbrook, where many residents work in the oil fields in Alberta and return home to see their families during their time off.

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This makes it the foremost issue for Jordan Twiss, news editor at the Shellbrook Chronicle.

“For me it’s all about who can manage the economy responsibly and begin steering us in the right direction to get our economy back on track,” said Twiss. “We have to ask ourselves which government will diversify to get (people) new jobs or stabilize the economy so they can get their old jobs back in the oil fields or in other producing sectors.”

Not everyone was focused on the election, however.

Several residents, when asked about the upcoming election, said they haven’t been paying attention.

According to Riley Kennedy, elections are something he “just never cared about.”

That’s not to say people in Shellbrook don’t have opinions about what they want to see.

Resident Ryan Kereluk doesn’t follow the election, but he votes, and wants to see more community services in small towns.

“Recreation things because there’s really nothing to do in a small town anymore,” he explained. “It’s why everyone’s always driving into the city.”

Lin said Shellbrook is breaking from tradition in this election. She said she has seen more NDP banners up in town where there were almost none in the last election.

“It’s interesting (to see) how this election will turn out with some more competition than people just sticking to whatever people were used to voting for before,” said Lin.

ssterritt@jppg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit