I am fully aware of how lucky I am for being able to represent a riding in the Capital Region.
The travel requirements of many of my colleagues when we are in session would make it difficult for me to do this job. When we are sitting, many MLAs will travel into town on Sunday afternoon or evening. Most stay in hotels in the downtown inner harbour while others rent apartments, own homes or stay in RV parks in the region. When we adjourn on Thursday afternoon, MLAs scatter to the HeliJet, airport or ferry terminal. Some will not get home until mid-afternoon on Friday. This leaves them with less than 48 hours in their riding each week.
Being able to commute each morning and evening is a huge advantage. For me it is like most other jobs. No matter how long the days are, I get the benefit of going home at the end of the day and tucking my kids into bed.
There are only seven ridings in the whole province whose representatives have a daily commute. It certainly factored heavily into my decision to seek provincial office. I have a demanding job and balance is important for my family.
Big decisions
Back in 2005 when I worked with the Victoria Salmon Kings, it was my goal to become a play-by-play commentator for hockey. My career was tracking in that direction. Emily and I were engaged, and we had been together for a couple of years at that point. Late one evening we were talking about our priorities. It was clear that if I kept at it, 50% of my life was going to be on the road. I was destined to live out of suitcases, bouncing from one hockey rink to the next.
She had trained as an actor. If we kept going in that direction there was a real possibility that we would be managing a long distance relationship. We made a commitment to each other that night. Family comes first. We were married in 2006, Silas was born in 2007, and the rest is history.
We often talk about the need for diversity in the legislature. Decisions are more reflective of the populations we represent when they are made by people from all walks of life. One really important demographic that needs representation in the House are parents of young children. I raise my hands in honour of my colleagues with kids. I’m grateful for the sacrifice that they and their families make so that our decision-making is infused by that important perspective.
How do the MLA’s who live outside the CRD sleep at night knowing that that just their housing allowance alone exceeds the entire amount most people on disability allowacnces are supposed to live on? $21,000 per year for MLA’s, and yet the ‘shelter allowance’ (which was frequently clawed back if the PWD recipient married or entered a common-law relationship) of $4,500 per year?
Although I appreciate your blogs, sometimes they are very bitter pills to swallow. I’ve been writing to you about the issues of #FreezeTheTopRaiseTheBottom and #PayForPerformanceInPolitics and we have talked about it, yet I never see anything about it in your posts about the House or in your blogs? (also with Handydart/transit).
Working at home – whiich I did when I was well and earning almost $100k/yr before I got sick and now live near the poverty line – can have a downside because sometimes it is very hard to break away and have tranquility at home.
Thank you for honoring the importance of family. I feel for our citizens who need to have 2+ jobs each, as parents, to meet the minimal financial needs of their families, especially at minimal wage no benefit jobs. As a society we collectively pay for the unmet emotional needs of children raised without effective parental love and guidance. This is not a luxury, but rather a necessity.
You really need a “Like!” button on your blog. 🙂