As Canada’s next great prime minister, Alex Monk would make peacekeeping his first order of business. Then he’d shift his focus to the environment.

With an economy teetering on the brink of recession, the country could really benefit from federal investment in green technology, he said.

The 24-year-old political science student at Carleton University is a candidate in CBC’s Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister competition, where budding leaders aged 18 to 25 describe what they’d do if given the country’s top job.

Accepting the fact that he doesn’t actually have the job – and likely won’t have a real shot for another 15 years – Monk is focused on policies for the not-too-distant future.

“A lot of the candidates talk about what’s going to happen with the economy next week or one specific issue that may very well be resolved in the final term of this government,” he said. “Whoever’s going to win should have a long-term, sustainable plan.”

Part of his plan includes restoring Canada’s image as a kind, peace-loving nation – an image lost somewhere in the mountains of Kandahar, he said.

“(We’re losing) our ability to get involved when it matters in the right way,” he said, pointing to areas of Africa and the Middle East that could use some military support in a different capacity. “I don’t think Afghanistan was the right way to do it … but it’s a little late to just pull out. The focus of my position would be on future involvement.”

Through debates and challenges, a pack of about 100 candidates will be narrowed to four who will appear on CBC Television.

If competitors have just enough Pierre Trudeau’s charisma or William Lyon Mackenzie King’s longevity, they could earn the top prize of $50,000 with a paid internship at Magna International, The Dominion Institute and the Canada-US Fulbright program.

Monk thinks he has a real shot at arguing his way to victory.

The Kanata student is accustomed to debate served with dinner, as the great-nephew of the late Marion Dewar, former Ottawa mayor, and first cousin, once removed, of Paul Dewar, MP of Ottawa Centre.

THE ECONOMY

Sounding like a true politician, Monk talks optimistically about the state of the economy.

He thinks deficit spending could be the country’s answer to prevent an economic crash.

“We have to continue forward-thinking, stable policy and be prepared to take a hit in the short term,” he said. “If you react quickly, there’s a bigger chance you’ll overreact.”

But Monk, who minors in economics at Carleton, admits a solution isn’t going to come from competitors in a CBC challenge.

“A lot of the other candidates are posing really short term plans, especially reactionary because of the economy in the last few weeks,” said Monk. “I deliberately didn’t focus on what to do right now.

“Whatever anyone at my level of education has to say about it will be under researched, underplanned. We’re still trying to figure out what’s going on.”

When it comes to the environment, Monk said scientists do know what’s going on: we need to switch to renewable energy and fuel sources as soon as possible.

“We have the geographic resources,” he said, pointing to vast amounts of untapped wind and solar energy from coast-to-coast.

When it comes to green tech, Harper has missed the boat, said Monk. He calls the country’s recent shift to ethanol fuel “a last ditch cash grab by the oil and gas industry.”

“I think it’s a huge mistake to be using ethanol and food sources as fuel,” he said.

The trend has been said to create competition between those buying crops for food and others buying for fuel.

A better alternative, said Monk, could be electric or hydrogen powered cars.

With apprehensive buyers and producers unwilling to invest in an undeveloped market, Monk said government could “bridge the gap.”

“That’s where government can come in,” he said, “offering subsidies and tax breaks in the right places, moving us away from fossil fuels.”

ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

The third main plank of Monk’s platform includes a renewed focus on Canada’s Aboriginal population.

“I think it’s a national embarrassment that Canada is recognized as this global leader in human rights … meanwhile we have people living in third world conditions 10 minutes outside of Montreal.”

The solution doesn’t necessarily mean more spending, said Monk, but giving the people more control over where money goes.

“The most important thing is giving the Aboriginal community a say on where that money is spent and having a representative body (to look at the problem),” he said.

Not a parallel parliament but “a representative and responsible organization.”

COMPETITION

“I doubt it,” said Monk, on whether any candidates actually have what it takes to become the real prime minister. “It’s not really a contest to see who’s going to actually become a prime minister but to involve youth in the political process in a meaningful way.”

But don’t count Monk out. Friends seem to think his future is prime.

“Not since Sir John A. have I seen a man hold his cool under immense pressure (and sometimes the influence of alcohol),” writes Rich Tseng, one of Monk’s friends, on the competition’s website. “Many a time during our friendship I have asked myself, ‘Why doesn't he run for office?’”