Duxford Girl

I've said before that the thing I hate most about myself is that I'm so emotionally exposed. I wish I could just bottle up everything inside, I really do but my attempts to change have been futile at best. I know that this vulnerability has often made me a target in my life and I have to wonder what I'm thinking every time I run for office. It's not that I fear the rejection of not being voted for. If I was concerned about gaining power and influence I wouldn't be running as NDP in one of Calgary's richest ridings. I run because I believe that the brilliance of democracy is that someone as average as myself CAN run for office. I may only get a few hundred votes but at least those few hundred people didn't have to go with their “second choice” party.

I fear that I am unable to be really diplomatic when dealing with the press. In the interviews I've had, I don't go in with polished responses that I've rehearsed. I just sort of say what I feel about a subject.

Passion over reason. I can't say it hasn't made my life interesting but as a politician I know it's not a good thing.

For instance, check out my interview with The Calgary Sun:

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/election/2008/02/19/4860462.html

Nothing too horrible in my comments. I don't think it's any big news that Calgary has grown too fast with no long term plans to deal with the development but check out my short candidate bio.

Excuse me while I step into the head of a Calgary voter based on a conversation I had with a Tory co-worker. She mentioned that the NDP have an image problem. “People think you're flaky, hippies, you know.” I smiled because I am aware of this image but looking at the NDP candidates I've met I don't think you can pigeon-hole us that easily. Then again, I tend to pigeon-hole the Tories and I can definitely say that my co-worker is a very nice, fun person, (even for a Tory). She's also a great union rep.

If I put myself in the shoes of someone reading my bio, here are some of the things that may go through an undecided voter's head (my apologies to anyone with no sense of humour).

Name – she's not one of those FRENCH Canadians, is she?

Age - not too bad, she's not some idealistic twenty-something.

Place of Birth - hey she's been in Alberta all her life. Ten years of it in Calgary, yeehaw. Probably doesn't even speak a word of French.

Education – Music? We knew she had to be flaky, she's NDP. Oh wait, Management? Well, that's a little bit redeeming even if it is a minor.

Profession – that seems like a big responsibility for a flaky musician but then again there is that management thing.

Community activities – NDP people get involved with the military? I thought they were against that sort of thing, love and peace and the whole deal. Again, maybe not so flaky.

Political background – Whoa, we don't like the sound of that Liberal thing.

Favourite Calgary Attraction – nothing flaky about a nice park.
(I'll step out of the head's of perspective voters for just a minute here. I had to laugh at Beth Gignac's answer to that question. In the back of my mind I heard myself say “who's flaky now, Liberal-girl!” Just kidding Ms. Gignac. I'll see you at Prince's Island this summer with my Birk's and my latte).

Fave CD – Canadian, folky. No big shock there. They do sing a little country though, right?

Political hero – WE KNEW IT, FLAKY, FRENCH CANADIAN! SHE PROBABLY LIED WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS FROM RED DEER! SHE'S PROBABLY FROM SHAWINIGAN!

Okay, yes I know. Political suicide in Alberta. Here's the deal though, I had to ask myself, if Trudeau was filling out this questionnaire would he stop for a minute to worry about whether he should pick a “voter-acceptable” politician? Probably not and that's why I respected him. He had the intelligence to back up whatever view he was standing up for, he had the courage to not back down and he did it all with stark reason. Did I agree with EVERYTHING he did while in office. No, I think that damage he did to the military was almost worse than Diefenbaker's decision to cancel the development of the Avro Arrow.

I'm not very good at blindly following doctrine or party policy. That's another reason that I'm a bad politician.

The truth is I wouldn't want to be anything but a backbencher in the real world of politics. Quietly working behind the scenes to find answers to the questions that real people asked me would be far more appealing than media appearances and back room deals. I guess that's not very reasonable.