An honour to serve – Allons-y

Growing up in Barrie meant experiencing the full calendar of seasons, with all four arriving and departing on schedule with Germanic efficiency. Politics also has times of change, though the timetable tends to be more fluid. But a new season is upon us. Tomorrow is Christy Clark’s last day as premier. And that means tomorrow is my last day working for Premier Clark.

What have the last 60 days been like? Imagine football, English football – footie, if you will. A brutal and unforgiving game, it is, especially in tournament play. A hard fought 90 minutes, then opportunities in extra time unfulfilled and penalty kicks to decide. As an England supporter, it’s a common ending of heartbreak.

But those are the rules. So, players clear out the lockers and return to club teams and fans obsessively analyze what happened; all dust themselves off and expectations rapidly turn to the next tournament. The memories never fade totally but hope springs eternal in the fan.

This weekend was the clearing out of the locker in the political game of football. When packing up the office and discovering artifacts collected over 16 years, memories come surging forward. Right now, acting as lone sentry on my desk is the coffee mug (from the PG Free Press) that I walked into the building with. Seems fitting it be part of the farewell.

Walking into the B.C. Legislature for the first time as an employee is daunting; it’s a breathtaking symbol of democracy, it chills thinking you work there and have the opportunity to contribute to the life of the province. The reality, in spite of the insipid ranting of trolls, is those who come to work here see it as public service – they want to make British Columbia better.

To this day, walking up to the Leg – night or day – evokes the same reaction: awe. “I get to work here,” always mentally passes through my mind. It’s not a burden, but a great feeling of responsibility.

There’s also the paraphernalia one accumulates. Pins showcasing the 2010 Olympics, pics from the opening of the Port Mann Bridge (definitely right bridge, right time), a thank-you note from the late Sindi Hawkins for work done during the 2003 forest fire season and a lot of clothes that chart style changes of more than a decade.

A collage of faces is created by walking the hallways, dipping into the nooks that populate the rockpile. The three (wise) men who first interviewed me, folks who have gone on to earn degrees from some of the world’s top institutions, friends who served in opposition and all those who have I been lucky enough to call colleagues and friends – all shared a passion for politics and, yes, a pint.

And the last six years have been the best of it all – working for Christy Clark, who is a remarkable person and leader. Indefatigable. Optimistic. Focused. Caring. And it’s the last one I will remember the most. There were some tough times over the last six years. Arriving in Burns Lake after the mill explosion and walking into a community full of hurt and offering comfort. Travelling to Tofino after a tragedy brought the world’s media to the small town for all the wrong reasons. Just last weekend in Kamloops, talking to those who saw their homes destroyed by wildfire. Those are the moments when character is defined.

It’s not a pledge in a platform, it’s not something you can plan for. It’s something that is reactive and I feel honoured to have served with someone who offered that leadership to the province. But there’s a reason I chose the pic at the top. She’s funnier than hell. And no matter what, she could make you laugh.

This is not a political epitaph. It is a reflection of how lucky we’ve been to serve. This isn’t about the lion in winter, but more the lamb in spring. Seasons, invariably, change so renewal comes. Regeneration is the new normal. So, in the spirt of the 10^th Doctor, let me just say: Allons-y.