After a false start, the People’s Party of Canada now has an official candidate in a local riding.
David Patterson, a political rookie, will represent the the party in Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte in this fall's federal election.
Patterson is the second person to be announced as a candidate in the riding. Former candidate Karmangah Tait, a local Lakehead University student, stepped down six days after announcing his candidacy.
An IT specialist who lives in the Brechin area, Patterson was an active member of the military reserves (1994-2001) and served in Kosovo from 1999-2000.
The first-time candidate is the president of the Orillia and District Literacy Council and speaks three languages fluently: English, French and Creole.
Patterson recently spent five years in Haiti, working on developing a volunteer-run, online learning centre.
Patterson says he's looking forward to meeting people and talking through some of the issues they have, even if those issues are related to the party itself and its perceived far-right views.
“I know the perception some people have of the People’s Party and they couldn’t be farther from the truth,” said Patterson. “We don’t want racists in the party, and race, religion and culture will not play a part in this election for us.
"We are here to work for the people, which is unlike what other parties seem to be doing.”
Patterson's rivals in the upcoming federal election will be the Green Party's Marty Lancaster, the New Democrats' Dan Janssen and the Conservatives' Doug Shipley. The Liberals have yet to announce a candidate.
