"I am asked - and I'm speaking to young Canada now - are there rewards in public life? There are - not monetary but there is a tremendous satisfaction in being able to say I tried, I stood." John G. Diefenbaker

A total of 634 people voted in Saturday’s election! That’s up almost 100 from the last election.

Thank you to everyone who voted for change. All 281 of you! Based on the preliminary results, had roughly 37 more of the overall votes been cast in my favour, I would have been your next Regional Director. That is how close it was.

Thank you to everyone who supported my campaign in all your myriad and individual ways. You know who you are. You brought so much hope and trust to our quest for change. You made me feel immensely proud to stand up for you. I especially would like to thank Kim, my wife, who put in 12 hour days, day after day over the four week campaign, working with me to bring the vision through.

The 44% who voted for me did so in the hopes of feeling better represented. They registered their desire for change in this election and they registered it in the last election, as reflected in the remarkably similar percentiles. Four years like that behind them, and now facing another four years ahead, in which they fear the status quo will continue. I hope that Noba is listening. That is the opportunity and challenge that is being presented to her, again. I hope she will reflect on what she can do differently this time around to help the other 44% feel represented.

I wish Noba well on her next term and I wish the island well. I can only hope that Noba takes heed and offers a more open, inclusive, tolerant and respectful approach to those with views different from her own. This would serve the island well.

"Connecting with Canadians isn't about what you say, it's about what you're listening to. It's about what you understand."
Justin Trudeau