Running on the Hill!

I am back in Ottawa! I love this city. I arrived around noon and couldn't check into my hotel so I walked around and took some photographs "on the hill". I had a late afternoon meeting and then ran 5 miles (924.5 miles) along the canal. Towards the end of my run I decided to run by the Parliament buildings to take a few more photographs. I wanted a photograph of myself on Parliament hill and asked a man walking by if he would take my photo. Much to my surprise I had stopped Member of Parliament Yvon Godin (NDP Whip). Mr. Godin is a MP from New Brunswick and we had a fun conversation as we snapped pictures. As I continued my run I thought what a nice experience it was to meet Mr. Godin. Often Ottawa and what happens in Ottawa feels like another world that we only have access to through the media. Unfortunately in recent decades Canadians have increasingly become disillusioned with politicians, many people perceive politicians as being out of touch with everyday Canadians and voter turn out is at an all time low. Meeting Mr. Godin this evening reinforced what I already knew, our politicians are not only everyday people, but they are people who care deeply for our country and dedicate their lives in service of it. Sure we can be critical, as a matter of fact it is our job as "the Canadian public" to hold our politicians accountable but in doing so we should never forget that our politicians care greatly for our country and little people just like me. So the fact that this very busy man took the time to stop and take my picture, introduce himself and spend time talking to a visitor to his city was a very human thing to do, a quality we want and need in the people responsible for running the government of our country.