RANJ Pillai will be sworn in as Yukon’s tenth premier this weekend.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday said in a statement: “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate Ranj Pillai on being selected as leader of the Yukon Liberal Party and the Yukon’s next Premier.”

Pillai was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in 2016 and was appointed as Deputy Premier, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister of Economic Development, and Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Energy Corporation.

Pillai, who is of South Asian origin, previously sat as a Whitehorse City Councillor from 2009 to 2012. During his tenure, he spearheaded the first anti-racism and discrimination bylaw North of 60.

Pillai and his wife, Delilah, have two sons.

Last October, Pillai wrote on his Instagram page: “I was proud to rise in the House today to pay tribute to Diwali. The Festival of Lights is about spreading the message of friendship and togetherness, a festival of hope, success, knowledge and fortune and I believe this is a message we can all share. As today marks the final day of this year’s festivities, I want to wish a happy Diwali to all those who celebrate.”

Indeed, Pillai wants to forge closer ties with India. Last December, he met with the new Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and tweeted: “India is currently one of the largest sources of immigration to the Yukon, representing the second largest number of applicants to the Yukon Nominee Program and a significant proportion of the International student population at Yukon University.”

He noted: “There are many opportunities for the Yukon and India to work together including post-secondary connections to the hospitality industry; labour force recruitment for the tourism and health care industries; critical mineral development and the start-up and technology sector.”