Kevin Barr is the Yukon New Democrats' candidate for the May 2 federal election.

The well-known musician and social worker defeated Alex Furlong, the Yukon Federation of Labour president, at the party's nomination meeting Wednesday evening.

"We have a lot of work to do – we're all getting up and we're going to start going swimming in the Yukon River every morning at six to get our blood going,” Barr quipped to party faithful in his brief acceptance speech.

"And then we're going to get out on the trail.”

And Barr has his work cut out for him.

In 2008, Ken Bolton, the New Democrats' candidate, finished a dismal fourth, garnering just 1,276 votes; nearly 5,500 behind the winner, incumbent Liberal Larry Bagnell.

Barr cleared his first hurdle Wednesday night, beating a tough competitor in Furlong 72 to 41. But the 54-year-old was philosophical about his chances with voters in the general election.

"If they want change, there'll be change. And it may not be me, it may be Larry, it may be John (Streicker, of the Green Party) or it may be Ryan (Leef; the Conservatives' candidate),” Barr told reporters.

"That's not going to stop me from also serving people.”

Barr and Furlong could not have been more distinct candidates.

For his speech, Furlong read from prepared notes and wore a neat pinstripe suit, while Barr spoke without notes and sported jeans and a T-shirt.

Asked about the difference between himself and Furlong, Barr was unfazed.

"I'm a person, and I'm a human being first and I want to be that for the people,” said Barr. "This is me.”

On his approach to speechmaking, Barr said he would continue to run an unscripted campaign.

"Speeches get me confused, and I'd rather just talk from my heart,” said Barr.

During his appeal to nearly 100 delegates (approximately 20 votes were cast by proxy), Barr thanked those who helped him "get to where I am today; I couldn't have done it on my own.”

He used that as a segue to declare his reasons for entering federal politics and what he hoped to accomplish with the support of other New Democrats.

"I believe in the Yukon, I believe in Canada, in uniting Canada and working together while being respectful of one another,” Barr said.

A resident of Crag Lake near Tagish, Barr moved to the Yukon in 1983, and during his career as a social worker, has made a huge impact here.

Not only was he instrumental in establishing the Committee on Abuse in Residential Schools, Barr currently runs the White Bison alcohol and drug addiction program at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre.

In the 2006 territorial election, Barr ran for the NDP in the Southern Lakes riding and lost by just 37 votes to the Yukon Party's Patrick Rouble, now Minister of Education and Energy, Mines and Resources.

For the federal campaign Barr now finds himself in, he hinted at some issues he plans to bring to the fore.

"I've heard that small businesses need help, First Nations agreements aren't being adhered to ... the homeless people, senior citizens, we have to help each other, from all walks of life,” Barr said.

For Furlong, the loss was shadowed by the turnout for the nomination meeting for a party that is attempting to re-establish itself in the Yukon.

"I mean I'm disappointed, but that's what democracy is about,” said Furlong.

"But the NDP had the only contested nomination, and you can see by the turnout that it was good for the party.”

Furlong, who has been the president of the labour federation since 2003, threw his support behind Barr going into the campaign.

"I wish Kevin all the best and anything we can do – and we can certainly help him for a labour standpoint – we will,” Furlong said.