James Beddome: A personal look at the politics of being Green

James Beddome is the first to admit he doesn't look very "green." At least, not in the stereotypical sense of the word.

That's because the leader of the ManitobaGreen Party occasionally drives a gas guzzler (a 1998 Buick Century).

"Oh, guilty of driving today. It's only because I had to be at three events," he explained.

He also wears a suit and tie.

"I'm not someone that has ever had dreadlocks, wears Birkenstocks and lives on granola, so to speak," he said, laughing.

Welcome to the Green Party, circa 2016. The Greens are led by a lawyer who admits to the occasional fast food indulgence (though he'll take George's Inn over "the golden arches" any day.)

He doesn't compost as much as he would like(though he designed and built a worm compost for his small condo kitchen).

These are just a few of the fun factoids Beddome shared during a one-on-one interview with CBC News,the fourth in a series of profiles of all the main party leaders during this provincial election.

Beddome's history goes deep

Beddome's story goes back more than a century. His ancestors, on both sides of the family, were among the earliest European settlers in Manitoba. In fact, Beddome's distant cousin, Henry Beddome, was among the first practising physicians in the province.

Fast forward to the early 1980s. James and his three siblings were raised by a single mother, who ran a livestock farm in the Little Saskatchewan River Valley.

I remember at a young age, riding around the truck with (my mother) going from auction mart to auction mart.- James Beddome

"I remember at a young age, riding around the truck with her going from auction mart to auction mart," buying cattle, Beddome recalled.

"I would have been three or four years old.The babysitting option was to drag me around the truck as she'd go run errands all day."

He was, however, expected to pull his own weight around the farm and he did. In fact, he thinks he was just 11 or 12 when he delivered his first calf.

But even then, Beddome loved politics and current events. He was the farm kid who'd come home from 4-H Club and as a special treat, get to stay up late with grandmato watch the late-night news.

And then later, right after university, he tried to get a gig in the legislative assembly as an intern. Things didn't pan out.

I got seventh out of six seats ...which was kind of a kick in the teeth.- James Beddome

"I got seventh spot out of six, which meant I was the alternate, which was kind of a kick in the teeth," Beddome said, adding he would have preferred to be out of the running altogether.

"Rather than so close that you're sort of like, 'I don't want to wish for someone else's misfortune,' but that's how I would have gotten the position."

Soon after, he joined the Manitoba Green Party,and even ran for them as a candidate in 2007, in the now-defunct riding of Minnedosa.It was his first kick at the political canand he lost the election.

A seriously special reunion

But that experience was far more significant for a far more personal reason. While on the campaign trail, word got out to his estranged father that he was in town. Out of the blue, his father called him and they reconnected. It was the first real relationship they'd had since Beddome was a toddler.

"So that was the silver lining" of the failed election campaign, Beddome said. "I really appreciated it."

Next on Beddome's to-do list? He applied to get into law school, though he didn't expect to be accepted (he did). He also ran for the Manitoba Green Party leadership and didn't expect to win (he did).And while in law school, herubbedshoulders in the law classes with another student and future political figure in Manitoba Liberal LeaderRana Bokhari.

"We'd have coffee, did a few cram jams together," he recalled.

Beddomewas latercalled to the bar andsigned on with a small law firm that focuses on indigenous rights and land claims.

He's on a two-month leave right now, however, while running for office. Come election day, he hopes he'll have a different paying gigas a full-fledged MLA.

"It's been a lifelong ambition. I remember writing an essay when I was in high school saying exactly that," Beddome said, laughing.

"At that time I was aspiring to be the prime minister. I've set my sights a little lower with premier now, [though]I'm still young."

For more on this story, tune into CBC Information Radio at 8:10 Monday morning or tune into CBC Newsat 6 p.m Monday.