My little band of volunteers is out this morning in Bristol Road – a very long road that runs from Yonge Street in the west to Main Street North in the east. 

There are lots of Vegh lawn signs so I see this as a challenge. But, as usual, many of them are outside empty properties.

By now, I have a standard stump speech which rolls off my tongue. 

But I’ve still got to spend time on the doorstep – as long as it takes.

There isn't a thing you can do for me

I am talking to a cold, detached man with a long white beard who emerges from his cluttered garage. He takes one look at me and says:

“There isn’t one damn thing that you can do for me that will make a difference to my life.”

I tell myself:

"Oh yes there is".

I turn round and walk away. That made a difference to his life.

Affordable Housing

I have a long and fascinating conversation with a man who knows a lot about land and property. He is engaging and knowledgeable. We talk about affordable housing. I ask:

“Where should it go?”

He says there should be an inventory of surplus Town and York Region land. And affordable housing should go there unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary.

We start talking about the campaign and how candidates (all standing as “independents”) finance it. He comes up with an interesting solution:

“People can contribute, if they wish, to an election account held centrally by the Municipality. The money is then divided equally between the candidates for the several offices. And that’s it. No developer money.”

Hmmmm. He has recognised there is a problem and has come up with his own solution. Terrific!

I like your watch

Now I am talking to a first-time voter with his Mom standing behind.

I go through the routine explaining why I am running.

Young man, looking at my wrist, says: 

“I like your Omega Seamaster."

I say:

“You couldn’t afford it.”

They smile.

Solar Power

Now I am talking to a father and son about their imminent move to Minden. I say my wife Heather and I were up there earlier this year staying in a terrific place called, appropriately, “Heather Lodge”.

Their new home will be entirely powered by solar energy. I am fascinated.

Now I am talking to an elderly man who lost his son to COVID-19. It is heartbreaking. We talk about the health system and what needs to be done but, in the moment, it pales into insignificance when measured against his personal tragedy.

Yorkshire Man

Now I knock on the door of a man with a Vegh sign on his lawn. I’ve got the ammunition ready. Plenty of it. I'm never gonna run out.

He tells me he is from Yorkshire – a county I know very well. He is from Keighley. I say:

“I know Ann Cryer. She used to be Keighley’s MP.”

He says:

“I was taught by her husband Bob Cryer.”

I tell myself I’ve got his vote in the bag. He says:

“No. You can’t put a sign up. I’ve got to find out more about you and look at your website. Come back later when I’ve read it.”

“No. This is the one and only time I’ll be on your doorstep. There are over 30,000 households in Newmarket and I’m not Superman.”

“Fair enough. But the Vegh sign stays until I know more about you.”

That's OK.

Gordon Prentice 14 October 2022