Provincial politicians are regularly asked by their constituents to solve problems. But Vancouver–West End NDP MLA Spencer Herbert never expected that he would help someone get a new arm.

In a recent interview with the Georgia Straight at Nelson Park, Herbert explained that the B.C. government had agreed to pay for an artificial arm for one of his constituents: the woman came to him for help when the arm didn’t fit properly. The government wouldn’t budge. “We had to go in and fight for her,” Herbert recalled with a wry smile. “The province finally went, ”˜Okay, you’re right. We’ll look pretty stupid if we continue to do this.’ So she got a new arm. This woman wouldn’t have had an arm unless our office went to bat for her.”

With less than a year as an MLA, Herbert is already having an impact, and not just on one woman’s life. As the NDP culture critic, Herbert has put the B.C. Liberal government on the defensive regarding massive cuts to core arts funding over the next three years. And the 28-year-old MLA has also raised the issue of a loophole in the Residential Tenancy Act that permits landlords to evict tenants for renovations, and then jack up rents to far higher rates than would otherwise be allowed.

According to Herbert, tenants have told him: “ ”˜Our landlords have told us they’re not going to evict us on this loophole because they’re afraid you’re going to come by and embarrass them.’ ” He seemed surprised that anyone would be afraid of him.

Herbert is a gay MLA representing a constituency that’s home to the annual Vancouver Pride parade. He said it’s “hugely important” for the provincial government to pay more attention to LGBT issues. He noted that people still get attacked because of their sexual orientation, and pointed out that the trans community faces huge challenges.

“When you come from a community that has been hated by the state and hated by religious authorities, you understand oppression in a different way,” Herbert said. “Other than that, I’m pretty damn privileged, I’ve got to say. But it does force you to recognize that just because somebody might look like they have everything in the world, they can still be attacked. It makes me question state power and makes me fight for liberty and freedom in a different way than I probably would do otherwise.”

He credited his long-term partner, Romi Chandra, with keeping him grounded. Chandra, a community developer, played a leading role in the creation of gay-straight alliances in schools about 10 years ago. “He has got a passion for social justice that’s pretty unmatched,” Herbert said. “He calls it like he sees it. We don’t always agree with each other in terms of strategy, but the passion that he brings keeps me going and keeps me honest in the world of spin and bullshit.”

Herbert describes the moment they met as “love at first sight”, and says he hopes they will have a child within five years.

Chandra also introduced Herbert to Bollywood films. “I’ve had a crush on [actor] Shahrukh Khan for years,” Herbert quipped. “Romi just rolls his eyes.”

Herbert’s mother is Donna Spencer, artistic producer at the Firehall Arts Centre in the Downtown Eastside. The theatre has been the site of many socially progressive productions over the years. Herbert’s father, Ted Roberts, is the resident set designer at the Arts Club Theatre. As a kid, Herbert attended Simon Fraser elementary school in Mount Pleasant, and then went to Prince of Wales Mini School for high school. “You were going to people’s mansions after school, compared to before when you were going to somebody’s bachelor apartment where their mom and three kids were crammed in,” he said. “That stuck with me.”

Herbert impressed others on the Vancouver park board after being elected in 2005. Non-Partisan Association commissioner Ian Robertson told the Straight that over the years, he developed a “real genuine and deep respect” for Herbert because he had an open mind. “He took to really understand the issues, and to really think through it,” Robertson said.

Former COPE colleague Loretta Woodcock told the Straight that she learned a great deal from Herbert. “He’s extremely hard-working,” she said. “He cares about what’s going on in the community, and he’s a very good communicator.”

Herbert is an avid reader of political biographies, regardless of the subject’s ideological disposition. He’s read up on Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and long-time B.C. premier W.A.C. Bennett.

With such an interest in leadership, could Herbert eventually become B.C.’s first out-of-the-closet premier? The question elicited a hearty laugh from Herbert. He said he doesn’t look at politics as a lifelong career. “I think if you start thinking that way, you don’t take on the risks,” he said. “You don’t take on the hard issues because then you have to play it safe.”