North of 60’s Dakota House to run in Alberta election

EDMONTON — Actor Dakota House, best known for his role on the CBC television series North of 60, is taking the leap into Alberta politics.

House, 44, is to represent the Alberta Party in the Peace River constituency.

In a video posted on his Facebook page, House says he believes in Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel, and adds the party is committed to consulting with Albertans before making changes.

North of 60 ran in the 1990s and chronicled the lives of Indigenous people in the fictional town of Lynx River, N.W.T.

House appeared in subsequent movies based on the series, worked on other movie projects and had guest roles on TV shows, including The X-Files.

He has also been a motivational speaker for youth and has written a children’s book called Dancers In the Sky.

In his Facebook video, House says he wants to push back against the cynicism undermining trust in politics.

“We don’t want a promise because promise has lost all merit. That word doesn’t even really mean anything when it comes to politicians today because we’ve been listening to the same things over and over and over again.”

House will face United Conservative candidate Dan Williams in the sprawling northern Alberta riding. The incumbent, NDP member Debbie Jabbour, has not indicated whether she is running again.

The 2015 Alberta Party candidate, Sherry Hilton, finished last with less than four per cent of the vote.

Albertans will head to the polls sometime this spring when Premier Rachel Notley decides to drop the writ. By law, the election must be held before the end of May.