The federal Liberals have chosen Patrick Weiler as their candidate for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky.
“I’m really excited and honoured to be nominated as the candidate. The real work really starts now,” Weiler told Coast Reporter Aug. 29.
This is the first foray into politics for the Vancouver lawyer, who has a background in environmental and Indigenous law, and who has worked most recently as a program development officer with the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI).
“At this point in my life it’s the right time for me to be able to run for this type of position,” said Weiler, adding that his professional experience has given him the right tools for the job.
He did acknowledge his lack of political experience. “A lot of it is breaking new ground. But that said, we’re not starting from scratch in this riding, and for almost two months now the campaign has really started for the riding.”
When outgoing Liberal MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones announced in May that she would not be seeking re-election one reason she gave was the challenge of weekly commutes to Ottawa while the Commons is sitting.
Weiler, who has a partner but no family, acknowledged the schedule “is a gruelling one,” but that his previous work involved extensive travel, and “it’s a benefit to be a younger person that has more flexibility.”
“It’s incredibly important to be in the riding, to be seen to be in the riding and to be responding to constituents concerns, and so as much as possible I would want to ensure that I can be in the riding so that I can do that.”
He and his partner own an apartment in North Vancouver but are living in Ambleside during the campaign. The last time he lived in the riding full-time was in 2009, but growing up he lived with his father in West Vancouver and spent every second weekend in Sechelt, where his mother Beverly Tanchak, was a municipal councillor.
“I’ve been doing a steady circuit throughout my whole life and feel quite fortunate to have done that, considering I believe this is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” said Weiler.
With the unofficial campaign already underway and expected to gain steam after the long weekend, Weiler joins previously nominated candidates Conservative Gabrielle Loren, Green Dana Taylor and Doug Bebb of the People’s Party, who have already been door-knocking on the Sunshine Coast.
The only major party yet to name a candidate for the riding is the NDP. The local riding association said this week it did not expect to have a candidate announcement prior to Labour Day.
The federal election is Oct. 21.
Check back with Pique tomorrow for more on Weiler's campaign.
A version of this story originally appeared in Coast Reporter on Aug. 29. Read the original story at coastreporter.net/news/local-news/patrick-weiler-to-run-for-liberals-1.23931164.
