That kid’s going places.
It didn’t take much more than a few minutes of meeting recent Salmon Arm Secondary graduate Skylar Plourde for me to make this judgment.
Some might remember a few weeks ago I drew up a list of people I would like to see run for council. And it looks like in at least one instance, I’m going to get my wish. I hoped for someone under age 35 to run for municipal office.
At 18, Plourde is the first such candidate to publicly declare his intentions. Indeed my request for an interview gave him the final push to confirm his candidacy.
“I’m all in now,” said the former co-president of the 2011 grad class. And he’s wasting no time: setting up a website, getting on Facebook, even setting up to receive donations via PayPal.
“Politics has always interested me and I think I’m able to take the heat that comes along with the job. Being co-president of the grad class, that’s a job that’s totally political, with a big dose of high-school drama thrown in. Anyone who remembers high school would probably know that city hall politics couldn’t be any worse,” he joked.
Plourde’s motivations come from a personal interest in politics, a wish to serve his community, but also out of a desire to engage other youth in decision-making.
“Maybe if they see that I can do it, more young people will realize that their vote and their voice is important and join in. I think our whole country, our province and our city are ready for change and it is young people who can move that along.”
Plourde says he’s received lots of encouragement from family, friends and SAS teachers. He also had a chance to take his message to a cross-section of citizens as part of the federal Liberal campaign and said many people, including seniors, said they would vote for someone as young as him.
A theatre buff, Plourde has formulated a platform that includes working to support Shuswap Theatre’s proposed performing arts centre. He has a concern for environmental issues and jobs and affordable housing – which are a main concern to young people, many of whom are anxious to stay in Salmon Arm if there are career opportunities.
“And we mean careers, not minimum-wage jobs,” he said.
But above all, Plourde says he is attracted to municipal politics because it avoids the pitfalls of following a party line.
“In municipal politics you represent the people, so I want to be open to their ideas. I don’t want to make a bunch of promises other than I will listen, be honest and be their representative.”
This is a teen who knows what he wants and feels confident in making his own decisions. He well knows he may not be successful in his bid for a municipal seat, but he’s got determination on his side. Whether he’s successful at the ballot box or not, I’m certain this won’t be the last time I’ll be interviewing him.
He’s a young person out to make his mark in the world.
Welcome to the campaign.