Liberal leadership candidate Jaime Battiste has strong ties to Sask.

Thursday is the final day for candidates to formally enter the race to replace Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

A handful of candidates have already submitted their paperwork, including banker Mark Carney, Government House Leader Karina Gould, former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and MP Chandra Arya.

On Thursday morning, Jaime Battiste, MP for Sydney-Victoria in Cape Breton, made his candidacy official with the hope of becoming Canada’s first Indigenous prime minister.

Battiste is Canada’s first ever Mi’kmaq MP, and has served on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

In an exclusive interview with 650 CKOM, Battiste reflected on his close ties to Saskatchewan.

In the 1990s, Battiste moved from the Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton to Saskatoon, where he attended Evan Hardy Collegiate.

He said the move provided him opportunities to play sports like hockey, lacrosse, and football.

“I was an athlete in high school, and I really felt the importance of being a part of a team,” he said, adding that he still remembers the lessons he’s learned from his coach, Tom Sargeant.

“That’s helped me along the way,” he said.

“My beliefs have always been about collaborative leadership (and) working together.”

Battiste said both of his parents worked at the University of Saskatchewan, and after graduating from high school he would frequently visit the Bridge City over Christmas and during the summer.

“It was kind of my second home,” he said. “I have very fond memories and a lot of friends that are still living out there.”

Battiste fondly recalled his visits to Fuddruckers restaurant and spending time at the batting cages.

He is also a musician and recording artist, and said he has played in a band for 20 years.

“One of my greatest experiences musically was going to my first ever Tragically Hip concert in Saskatoon,” he said. “That… kind of inspired me to be a musician.”

Battiste said experiencing life on both the east coast and in Saskatchewan has expanded his perspectives and made him open to different options and viewpoints from Canadians.

“Being able to say you grew up as a prairie boy is a good thing,” he said.

‘The underdog’

Battiste said he decided to run for the Liberal leadership because he believes an Indigenous voice should be represented in the race.

“I get inspired by every conversation I have where people are excited,” he said.

“I think most Canadians from coast to coast to coast agree that what separates us from other countries is that we generally care about each other, and that’s why we have things like the public health care system.”

If elected, Battiste said there are several important pieces of legislation that he wants to move forward, such as the disability benefit and dental care.

“We need to finish the dream of pharmacare,” he added.

Battiste stressed the importance of addressing climate change, and wants to find solutions.

“We’ve had historic hurricanes with Fiona. We’ve had record snowfalls – 160 centimeters. We’ve had roads wash away from floods,” he said. “The federal government is covering 90 per cent of the damage caused by extreme weather events.”

Battiste said his Indigenous background and life experiences set him apart from other candidates.

“I’m the underdog in this race,” he said.

“I think it tells a great story of this country, and I think it tells a story of resilience for Indigenous people in their country. That’s something that I think will resonate with people.”

The new Liberal leader will be chosen on March 9.

—with files from the Canadian Press