By Samuel Getachew

It was a homemade You Tube video that made aspiring politician George Anderson a household name in Nanaimo, BC. In the video, he explained a vision that “we can no longer be a city that is business versus residents, north versus south, new-timers versus old-timers. We need to come together and build upon a collective vision that each and every one of us can be proud of.”

At 20 years old, the son of Ghanaian immigrants, a university student who “still lives at home”, has become a political sensation. On the just concluded BC election that elected many firsts, including the successful election of the National Deputy Green Party Leader to municipal office, Anderson becomes the second successful African Canadian who currently holds a municipal office title in BC. (James Atebe, a Kenyan native, is the mayor of Mission, BC)

According to media reports, the Anderson campaign spent less than $5000 and mostly held its many grassroots meetings at an area Tim Horton’s in his successful bid for a council seat. Only three years removed from his high school graduation where he was a valedictorian, he has volunteered in many places including with Big Brothers & Big Sister, The Salvation Army, Leadership/BC-Nanaimo, and The Central Vancouver Island Multi-Cultural Society according to the Young Professionals of Nainamo, where he is an active member.

As a political inspiration, he counts Former Canadian Prime Minister’s Wilfred Laurier, Robert Borden and Former NDP Leader, Tommy Douglas. How could a 20-year-old be inspired by these great Canadian personalities who lived and died long time ago?

In a recent interview, he explained that for Prime Minister Laurier, the most successful Liberal Canadian Prime Minister of Canada, he respected his vision to bring the country together and united.

For the Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden, who defeated Laurier in 1911, he respected his leadership in time of war. For the universally liked Tommy Douglas, an NDPer, he respected him for being the father of Canada’s sacred Medicare. All three great historical Canadians with contradictory political membership, but he saw and reflected their contributions to Canada at their very best.

At the conclusion of his campaign, he paid tribute to his mother. “Listening was mandatory in our family and a form of respect,” he says. “My mother’s compassion shaped my drive to help others. Someday, I may focus that drive towards studying Law or Medicine; however, right now I’m looking towards City Hall - where I know I can affect positive change for the future of the city I love.”

In a country, where young people rarely participate in electoral elections, his success is rare. When current Quebec Premier became Deputy Prime Minister under former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, he was only 34. Former Prime Minister Joe Clark was only 39. By the time, George Anderson is sworn in as councillor, he will only be 21.

That is a great start to what will likely be a great future Canadian political story.

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