Maria Lewans isn't going to make any consessions in her beliefs to try to get more votes.

Lewans officially became the Green Party candidate on Monday, and is running against the Saskatchewan Party's Everett Hindley, NDP's Stefan Rumpel, and Liberal Aidan Roy for the March 1 Swift Current byelection.

For Lewans, it's not that there are two or three issues she wants to address; instead, she wants to dive deeper.

"It's probably good to have a main focus, but I'm finding it hard because there are so many issues and they're all intertwined," she said. "It's like, you can't really look at one piece of the puzzle without looking at the whole puzzle, or else you're going to be lost and not really see it clearly."

Lewans believes there is too much stock put into having a strong economy, and that people shouldn't rely on the commercial agriculture or the oil sector.

"We live very unsustainably, especially compared to a lot of other regions in the world. I think our life convenience and excess comes at a cost to other countries around the world. So I kind of believe in that, 'do unto others as you do unto yourselves,' and I think that extends across the globe. It doesn't just extend to the people you meet face to face. I think we need to be more conscious of how our actions are affecting others on this planet, and come up with ways where we can live more sustainably."

A world where people farm enough food to feed themselves, and maybe a little more, is one Lewans hopes for.

"I'm a big believer in permaculture, which is edible landscaping. In my yard I try to grow as much edible food as possible, and I try to learn the medicinal and edible qualities of different weeds - plants we call weeds out there. I think that is really beneficial."

Lewans ran for Swift Current mayor in 2016, finishing third of the three candidates. She said that this time round, she's more prepared to have her name on a ballot. Lewans also said she still isn't about to soften her stances on things to try to get more votes.

"I'm going to say what I believe, so I'm not going to compromise my beliefs to try to win votes. It does make it hard. Hopefully we can get people to at least think about these issues and try to understand where we're coming from in the Green Party, and think about what kind of world they want to leave their children and their grandchildren. Right now we're going more automated... I don't like the direction it's going. It's not a world I'd wish upon my children."

If she was MLA in Swift Current she'd try to educate people on how to live off the land, and how to restore the land, as well as encouraging more active transportation, like cycling.

The forum for the candidates is February 26.