Great West Media has reached out to every 2025 Federal Election candidate in the Airdrie-Cochrane riding with the same questions. They will be published in the order that they were received.
Sean Secord is the Liberal candidate for the Airdrie-Cochrane riding in the 2025 Federal Election.
QUESTION: What is your political experience and why have you chosen to run in this election cycle with the Liberal Party?
ANSWER: At the Provincial/Territorial level, I have participated in several campaigns for candidates who I believed in who spanned all three of the major parties (Conservatives, NDP, and Liberals). I have always connected more with the individual and their qualities, passions, and intentions than worrying too much about political affiliations. Federally, I supported Dr. Brendan Hanley's campaign in the Yukon as we had worked together in acute care settings, public health, and throughout the pandemic when he was the Chief Medical Officer of Health. I have met with Members of Parliament in Ottawa from each of the three major parties on a number of occasions when I served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Nurses Association and we were lobbying for quality improvements in Federal healthcare funding and prioritization.
My motivation for running in this election cycle with the Liberal party is driven by two key factors; my passion and expertise in enhancing health systems at both the local and national levels, and my firm belief that Mark Carney is the right person at the right time to address our country's current needs and threats.
Q: What have been some of your proudest achievements before running for office?
A: Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work with amazing teams in a variety of settings. I have often been in leadership positions through which I could engage, inspire, and rely on those teams to accomplish great things. Together, we created a medevac program for the Yukon from scratch - harnessing each team member's expertise to develop the policies and processes necessary for a sustainable quality program that effectively handled both rural/remote emergencies as well as critical care transports from the far north to tertiary centres in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. In another significant endeavour, I oversaw the construction completion, equipment procurement, staffing and initial operations of two new rural hospitals. Additionally, in a volunteer capacity, I co-chaired a chapter of a national organization that raised three times more funds per capita than any other chapter, and financially supported research that has resulted in new cancer screening methods.
I take pride in my ability to identify unmet needs and mobilize teams and resources to address them.
Q: What will you and your party do to stand up to President Trump’s tariffs and 51st state rhetoric?
A: President Trump has threatened Canada through economic bullying. Mark Carney has a proven track record of effectively managing similar risks and economic uncertainties - from safeguarding Canada's banking system during the 2008 financial crisis when most countries struggled, to steering Britain's financial sector through the turbulence of Brexit. His respected approach to combating climate change through strategic and sustainable investing has earned him recognition from the United Nations. In addition to holding a PhD in economics, Mark Carney possesses invaluable real-world experience in navigating economic crises. His global perspectives and international alliances, paired with his commitment to Canadian sovereignty and stability, are precisely what we need to address Trump's threats and antics.
Q: What is the biggest issue facing Canadians that you wish to tackle?
A: I think that the biggest immediate issue is Canada's economic stability in the face of external threats, and the MBA side of me is looking forward to the possibility of joining Mark Carney's team and addressing this skilfully and strategically. However, the health leader side of me is looking forward to tackling Canada's health system. I think that we have become accustomed to viewing a national health system overhaul as insurmountable, and are prone to "passing the buck" of responsibility. It is my goal to address this head on by mobilizing the right team and the right resources that I know exist but are just in need of the right leadership.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: In the face of a short election cycle, it will be impossible to meet with the majority of constituents in the Airdrie-Cochrane riding by going door to door. Additionally, I know many people do not prefer this approach. Therefore, I welcome any invitations to community events or forums that will allow me to hear your concerns and priority issues, and for the constituents to get to know me better. Please reach out on LinkedIn, email ([email protected]), or through the Liberal website [at] liberal.ca .
