Barry Janyk, the mayor of Gibsons, has joined the race for the provincial NDP nomination in this riding.
"We need a person who's willing to fight for this community. I'm a scrapper," said Janyk in a phone interview Aug. 25, as he drove to Powell River to take part in the Blackberry Festival. "I'd like to create some interest and some real positive magic in this constituency."
Janyk is the sixth declared candidate for the Powell River/Sunshine Coast NDP nomination. The other candidates are Nicholas Simons, a social worker who won 37 per cent of the Sunshine Coast and Powell River vote in the recent federal election; Norm Gleadow, president of the Sunshine Coast Teachers' Association; Judith Wilson, a Gibsons lawyer and long-time NDP activist; Kathy Northrup, a social worker who was the Powell River constituency assistant to former MLA Gordon Wilson; and Sam Heppell, a University of British Columbia student.
Janyk only recently became an NDP member.
"As a relative newcomer to the party, it probably puts me at a disadvantage," he said. "But if the party is going to reinvent itself, it needs new blood, and I think I can provide that."
Janyk said two main factors set him apart from the rest of the NDP hopefuls: "I'm elected and I'm electable."
Janyk was first elected to Gibsons council in 1996. He is now serving his second term as mayor. He represents Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast Regional District board and is a representative on the Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee and a director of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities.
Janyk said frustration with the Liberal government and with MLA Harold Long inspired him to seek the NDP nomination."All I hear is people complaining about the provincial government. People should be able to say, 'I talked to my MLA and got some results'," said Janyk. "All we get is a busy signal. I'm tired of that."
Janyk was also critical of his other electoral rival, Green Party leader Adriane Carr.
"Adriane Carr and the Green Party's tree of knowledge was clear cut a long time ago," said Janyk. "I have a really clear understanding of the environmental issues of this community."
Janyk said he would resign as mayor if he is elected to the legislature but doesn't see any difficulty with carrying out his mayoral duties during a provincial campaign.
"I plan on doing what I do now and working long days to make sure the people of my community get good service," he said.
