Political parties are backing five out of the six candidates running to become the MP for the Cypress Hills-Grasslands riding.

That one candidate is Maria Lewans, who is running as an independent in the election.

Lewans said that during her time speaking with residents, she is trying to paint a vision of how we could live.

"I think we don't have to be living the way we are, we can eliminate a lot of the excess," Lewans said. "I think we are kind of in a little bit of a crisis in the world, and we are not really addressing because the whole gravity of the situation seems overwhelming."

The independent candidate added having localized production and learning to save food is another topic she is bringing focus to.

Lewans said she would like to see people become more self-sustaining.

" I think if we get more in tuned with our natural being and selves, we are going to realize what makes us happy, and I think a lot of what we've created is not making people happy."

Lewans said the reason to vote for her is that she is no a politician.

"I focus more on the solutions than on problems. Definitely, I'm aware of a lot of the problems. I think right now; we need leadership and people that need to tell it how it is. There are real people that think they can do anything and have everything they want, and there is nobody stepping in and saying, ‘Wait a second, you can't do that.’ I think I am willing to tell it as it is, and put a foot down on ridiculous behaviour that we have."

Lewans is facing off against William Caton (Liberals), Bill Clary (Green Party), Lee Harding (PPC), Jeremy Patzer (Conservatives), Trevor Peterson (NDP) in the election, which sits just five days away.

Profiles on Caton, Clary, and Harding can be found on Swift Current Online with profiles on the other two candidates coming tomorrow.