The New Democratic Party (NDP) has named its St. Albert-Sturgeon River candidate for the 2025 federal election.
Born in the Gift Lake Métis Settlement, Dot Anderson is a Métis woman from both sides of her family. She studied Business Administration as a marketing major in Grand Prairie, and has been living in St. Albert since 2008.
Anderson was twice elected Secretary of the Métis Settlements General Council, the central governing body for the Métis settlements of Alberta. It's an organization she says she has a long and meaningful relationship with.
"I started out as a receptionist and quickly was used to support the tripartite centre, which was the negotiating arm of the organization that had did intergovernmental negotiations with the province and feds," Anderson said.
During her incumbency as secretary, Anderson said she oversaw a large selection of socio-economic files, including child welfare, education, post-secondary, policing with the RCMP, and economic development.
"That's where we build a team to really build impactful initiatives and services for the communities," she said. Among those initiatives that took place during her incumbency was the "Economic Development Corporation," which she said invests in economic development opportunities including business growth and entrepreneurial support.
She's been encouraged to run for office before, but this is the first time she said she feels compelled to do so, and the NDP is the party she feels most closely aligned with.
"I feel called to action. I've always been interested in government and intergovernmental relations. I've been a political person even as a child. I just always had a tendency to care about the issues," she said. She added the ongoing tariffs and 51st state threats from President Trump are of particular concern to her, and that cost of living is an issue she would hope to help focus on.
"We have a situation where wages are falling far behind inflation. The cost of utilities, groceries, insurance, all of our wallets, I think, are taking a hit," she said.
In the 2021 federal election, the NDP vote nearly doubled for St. Albert-Edmonton, increasing to 28.7 per cent of the vote from 15.2 per cent in 2019. Although the riding has since been redrawn, Anderson said she hopes to build on those results.
"It was encouraging then, and to look at the trajectory that our party has been on in our area is very encouraging," she said.
Since 2021, the riding has become significantly more rural, and it will now cover Sturgeon County, and stretch west to Sangudo, east to Redwater, north to Legal and south to Big Lake, while losing northwest Edmonton. Anderson isn't concerned about any of the challenges that may present.
"I'm an optimist," she said. "My style has always been to work closely to people, to work close to the ground. I focus on issues and solutions."
Anderson said she'll begin door knocking in the riding to connect with potential voters soon. She said she wants to hear about the issues directly from the people, something she feels she hasn't seen a lot of in the last 10 years.
"If the people of this new riding can put their trust in me to represent them then that's what I'll do."
