Depending on how you look at it, 22-year-old Jon Van Barneveld is more than a little wet behind the ears or the perfect candidate to bring some youthful enthusiasm to Cariboo-Prince George.
Either way, there's no denying the New Democratic Party candidate has built a political resume many people two or three times his age could only admire.
Line items include starting up the Young New Democrats club at the University of Northern British Columbia where he's in the fourth year of a resource management degree, campaigning for Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen and collecting signatures for the anti-HST initiative.
It adds up to about seven years of behind-the-scenes political experience.
Tall, bespectacled, soft-spoken and articulate, Van Barneveld was decked out in a blue shirt and jeans when he gave an acceptance speech Saturday before about 20 party members in which he stressed his northern roots.
Raised in Houston and the son of a logger, Barneveld said he embraces strong rural values.
"The kinds of value that we all share in small towns," he said. "We know the value of a hard day's work and we know the value of taking care of our neighbours."
He was also quick to slam the incumbent MP, Conservative Dick Harris.
"Dick Harris has failed us," Van Barneveld stated flatly. "And for far too long this region has been given the short end of the stick. We know what it's like to live through a recession, we've been doing it for the better part of 15 years. I know that you're tired of it and Dick Harris has done little to help you out of this northern rut."
Asked if he's something of a foil to the 66-year-old Harris, Van Barneveld said "we're definitely juxtapposed because of our different ages."
"But I think I'm just as qualified as Dick Harris if not better," he continued. "I think the people are wanting a change and I think that I can bring a lot of fresh new perspectives to the riding and I think that people are going to find it beneficial to have someone to have a bit of longevity in their step."
Van Barneveld is counting on the youth vote as a source of core support but also emphasized he's reaching out to seniors, often regarded as a demographic Harris can count on. Above all, Van Barneveld described his campaign as energetic and aiming to build bridges between people.
What are your top three priorities for your riding?
1. Breathing new life into the region's resource sectors: Van Barneveld sort of rambled on this one but perhaps his most concrete idea was to find ways to get youth interested in careers in forestry, mining and agriculture. He called for "proactive" measures to show young people that it's o.k. to have rural roots.
"There's going to be a huge labour crunch going forward and I think we need to consider that," he said. "Agriculture? Same thing - no one wants to be a farmer these days."
2. Strengthen relations with First Nations: Doing so makes good economic sense because it brings the level of certainty investors seek in deciding where to put their money, he argued. Accordingly, Van Barneveld called for a renewed push to settle treaties and to "start considering our relationship with First Nations first and not as the last hurdle toward development."
He also claimed that every dollar that has been spent on settling treaties has generated three dollars in economic investment.
"It puts all the negativity behind us and we can move forward as a region," Van Barneveld said.
3. Improve accountability from Ottawa: Van Barneveld was most passionate about this, noting the election was called when the opposition passed a motion of contempt of parliament against the Conservative government.
He also said Harris has not been visible in Cariboo-Prince George.
"I think people are really fed up with his representation," Van Barneveld said and recounted the Sharon Smith episode - when Harris appointed the now ex-mayor of Houston the Conservative liaison in Skeena-Bulkley Valley which created a backlash in the riding where an NDPer is the MP.
Our issues
1. Do you support Enbridge's $5.5-billion Northern Gateway oil pipeline? Why or why not?
"No," he said bluntly. "I do agree that we need to be looking at infrastructure projects to benefit the north, however I think this is the wrong proposal for the wrong region."
Van Barneveld went on to say it's a "risky business" that will jeopardize the coast and the rivers.
"It's not a matter of if a pipeline breaks or a tanker spills, it's a matter of when," he said and added the practice of exporting raw commodities needs to be reviewed.
"We need to start to bring the economy back home and I think that the Enbridge pipeline will not accomplish this," he said.
2. Do you think Ottawa should provide more funding support to municipalities, for example, to help fix roads? Why or why not?
Van Barneveld gave an indirect answer, saying investments need to be more "targeted" by putting more caveats on the money provided. He also claimed the federal pine beetle money was ineffective in terms of putting forestry workers back to work.
"The money that we do give has to be beneficial to the community and not just a visual advertisement," he said.
3. A 10-year federal health care transfer deal to the provinces ends in 2014. Should the provinces get more money in a renewed deal? Why or why not? If yes, how would you pay for it?
NDP leader Jack Layton has committed to hiring more doctors and nurses, he noted, especially for rural ridings and said the trend of shutting down hospitals in small communities needs to be reversed.
To pay for those initiatives, Van Barneveld said reversing, not just refraining from decreasing, corporate tax cuts is the right move. "Large corporations, they're our bread and butter and they are really good for jobs and prosperity, but I think they have more elbow room when it comes to taxes," he said.
