After dominating in the sport of kayaking, a Canadian four-time Olympic medallist has set his sights on a different kind of race – federal politics.
Sprint kayaker Adam van Koeverden announced on CTV’s Your Morning Thursday, that he’ll be seeking the Federal Liberal nomination for the Ont. riding of Milton in the next election.
“I’m going to petition on the same Liberal values that I think most Canadians hold dear to their heart and I’m going to work really, really hard for that community. I think that’s what people want,” van Koeverden said on Thursday.
The Milton electoral district encompasses a portion of the province that was previously part of the Halton electoral district and is currently held by experienced Conservative MP Lisa Raitt.
If van Koeverden wins the nomination, he’ll have his work cut out for him in trying to unseat the longtime politician. Raitt currently serves as the deputy leader for the federal Conservatives and was a prominent member of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet. She has been elected to Parliament three times.
When asked how he plans to take Raitt’s seat next year, van Koeverden replied that he’s going to win on hard work.
“I like a challenge. I relish a challenge,” he said. “I take that from my years as an Olympian, but also in everything that I do. I want it to be hard and worthwhile. I don’t enter races that are unwinnable.”
With frequent finger-pointing and name-calling, the sport of politics may not be as civilized as the world competitions the 36-year-old athlete is accustomed to, but van Koeverden said he’s already prepared for that aspect of governing.
“I will be a candidate that reduces the amount of mudslinging. I’m not interested in having those types of debates. I respect my competitors,” he said. “I think at the end of the day we all have the same goal. As kayakers we all wanted to win races, well we all want a better country as politicians.”
Van Koeverden said he plans to rely on his strong sense of community and his years of giving back to those in need through numerous charitable endeavours with organizations such as Right to Play, WaterAid, and the David Suzuki Foundation, to guide his candidacy.
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