I still remember the sound of clinking glasses, eyes burning as I ran through my grandparent's living room thick with smoke, darting between
people, and listening to their laughter. I was a child. I remember thinking, "Wow, what a party!" I didn't realize that it was a celebration of my grandfather, Roger Bacon, winning another provincial election.
He never lost an election. I can't say the same, but I can say that I inherited his and my father's persistence, a quality necessary for the job I'm applying to do.
As I drive through the North Shore to the Eastern Shore and everywhere in between, I feel Roger riding shotgun alongside me. It is surreal at times as I am actually driving my grandfather's old Ford as I campaign in Central Nova. I am focused on listening, learning, and shoring up the support of like-minded people for my bid for the Federal Conservative nomination.
My Grampy died a few years ago, a loss most of us have not yet come to terms with. He was larger than life and I always felt important in his presence. My father had a visIit with Roger's care provider shortly before his passing and mentioned to her that Roger's old car was in town getting detailed, undercoated, and having new tires put on. Dad told her that he would be giving the vehicle to me. As she looked at my father, a big smile spread across her face, and she said, "Roger knew that is where the vehicle would go."
Family is everything for me. We stand tall together through hard things with roots deep in Nova Scotia. Family is where we learn who we are, the value of hard work, and how to dust ourselves off after a fall and get back on the horse. Home is where we learn our standards, the value of a dollar, the importance of helping others and doing the right thing for the right reasons.
My experience in business, in not-for-profit, corporate, and government sectors, and as a service provider to those living with substance use problems, behaviour addictions, mental illness, chronic health conditions, and serious injuries has prepared me well to understand people, suffering, systems, and the complexities of our time.
With every mile I drive in my grandfather's old Ford, I am not just continuing a family tradition - I am forging a future where our shared values of hard work, resilience, and community lead the way. Together, let's build a stronger Central Nova, rooted in the legacy of those who came before us and inspired by the promise of what lies ahead.