Businessman out to snare nomination too

Patrick Singh believes in civic responsibility.

Patrick Singh believes in civic responsibility.

It’s that belief that has him seeking the Liberal nomination to go after the Whitehorse Centre riding when a byelection is eventually called.

Singh announced his plans to seek the nomination in an interview this morning. He spoke to the Star shortly after Kirk Cameron held a press conference to announce his own plans to do the same (see story above).

The riding was left vacant when long-time NDP MLA Todd Hardy died July 28. NDP Leader Liz Hanson was the first to announce her intentions for the seat.

No one has announced plans to seek the governing Yukon Party nomination nor for former Conservative government leader Willard Phelps’ fledgling political movement.

“I see there’s a lot of opportunity,” Singh said.

He noted the need to be more “forward-thinking” in politics than what he described as the current 1970s and 1980s model that seems persistent today.

Singh runs both Mark & Paddy’s Wondrous Music Emporium as well as the hot dog stand open on Main Street through the summer. He said he believes he can contribute through the legislature to developing the economy and in a variety of other ways.

Focusing on those new ways of thinking, Singh commented there’s no reason for arguments about whether the environment needs to be protected – the need is obvious.

Describing himself as pro-business and pro-economic development, Singh said he would like to see a university established in the territory, something that would contribute to economic development.

Any university town, he continued, often has a vibrant downtown and enhanced arts scene.

There’s also room to expand on innovation and tourism, he believes.

Specific to Whitehorse Centre, Singh noted a need to make the downtown more vibrant and deal with issues like homelessness. He argued there’s a need for a proper shelter in the area.

He also noted the work that’s already underway in the downtown with the construction of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation cultural centre underway, among other initiatives.

“I think it’s an exciting time for Whitehorse,” he said, advocating the need for better roads and maintaining the neighbourhood’s health.

As a capital city, the 47-year-old said, the downtown sector is not only the heart of the community, but the entire territory as well.

While Singh doesn’t live in the riding, he said he is confident he could represent its residents, spending much of his time there and having lived in the neighbourhood for several years previously during his approximately 20 years in the territory.

“I’ve always been a downtown kind of guy,” he said.

Asked about his experience, Singh said it would not be him alone moving forward with his ideas.

He again pointed to his proposal to involve other Yukoners in coming up and instituting solutions to the issues of the territory.

Before deciding to seek the Liberal nod, Singh, who expressed frustration with party politics, said he thought of running as an independent.

“Really, it’s a mess,” he said of the current system.

The reality, however, is that independent candidates are often defeated in seeking a seat, he said. Even when they do win, he added, they aren’t given the same opportunities to have their voices heard that those within a political party do.

Singh noted that in his early years, Pierre Trudeau, the late Liberal prime minister, made a big impact on him. It’s the Liberals he identifies most closely with, though there are positions of both the NDP and Yukon Party he also likes.

While Singh will first have to face off against Kirk Cameron for the Liberal nomination before running for the seat, he said he’d be happy even if it’s just some of his ideas that make their way into the legislature.