On the hustings

(What is a husting, anyway? Does anyone have one I can use for a few months?)

The rubber hits the road when a person starts knocking on doors, or chatting with people at a big Canada Day celebration. I was out there late last week after wrapping things up at church, and taking away the last few books and personal items from my study. The reactions, as you would expect, range from warmth to hostility. ("I never vote. All politicians are lying, cheating, so and sos." That sort of thing. How I'd love to spend time with those folks to find out where they got their ideas, but there is only time to press on, and talk to people who are willing to talk.) One great thing? It's not February.

The level of taxes is uppermost in some people's minds, and they seem to be the more comfortable ones, to judge by my very unscientific polling. Just getting by is the reality for others. But the variety of us never ceases to amaze me. There are certainly common threads, but we are very different from each other. Canada Day on Main Street in Newmarket was a joy. Perfect weather, good eats, good music, good mood in the thousands of people on the street and in the park. I heard such relief and pride at being in Canada from people who clearly were new to the country. Awesome.

I was encouraged with the number of people willing to work on the campaign both days I was out. I'm working on my approach, trying to figure out which questions allow people to say what's concerning them. There is usually initial caution when someone opens their door. It's almost as if other people have been at the door before me selling/asking/preaching something people didn't want. Go figure.

Now there is a little pause in the blog, till I get back from some away time in the middle of next week. Talk to you later.