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Remembering Carol
Innisfil Enterprise
March 21, 2007
By Peter Van Loan, MP, York-Simcoe
Last week, we lost the founder and publisher
of the Innisfil Enterprise, Carol McPherson.
It is a loss we will all feel.
That Carol and I would hit it off so well
was not something you might have expected.
After all, she was a New Democratic Party
stalwart (having even worked at Queen's Park
when that party was in government) - with
politics different from my Conservative
variety. But from the first time we met, we
discovered much in common and got along
well.
Carol cared about our community. Her work in
local journalism and founding the Enterprise
newspaper helped to make us all more aware
of our neighbours, and provided a shared
experience of what it means to live here.
But she did more - from serving the Chamber
of Commerce, to being the Chaplain for the
local Royal Canadian Legion. Carol supported
charities, helped neighbours, and
contributed to building Innisfil.
Anyone who saw Carol at a Council meeting
knew she was always ready to take on the
politicians - sometimes raising the
uncomfortable questions that Council members
were hoping nobody would ask. But the motive
was always good - to help the community; not
to make a politician look bad.
This week I should be writing about the
federal budget, and how we delivered
unprecedented funding to restore and protect
Lake Simcoe's environment, among other
measures to help families. But Carol taught
me to do things a bit differently.
When she first asked me to write a weekly
column, she suggested I avoid the stock
columns of political talking points on dry
issues that most MP's produce. "Tell people
about the life of an MP, what it's like,
what you do every day - it's something
almost nobody really understands, and it
will be more interesting to readers."
What Carol was really saying to me was that
it is all about people. Issues are abstract
- but what matters are people, and how the
things we do can affect their lives, in very
real ways. Those of us in public life must
keep the families that are counting on us,
and the day-to-day challenges they take on
in life, at the front of our minds.
And similarly, if the people in our
community know their MP as a person - that I
listen, work hard, and do my best to make a
positive difference for them - then we can
build a stronger relationship of
understanding between the voters and their
voice in Parliament.
That was an example of the gift that Carol
was to our community. In some big ways, and
in lots of little ways, she helped us all
understand one another a little bit better;
helped us get along better; made us feel
part of our community.
I fear that we will feel her loss similarly
- in a few big ways and many small things.
But the best way to pay tribute to Carol's
memory is to live the lessons she taught us.
It's people that matter most. Understanding
one another is the key to strong
relationships. We can make our community a
better place. We can always work to change
things for the better.
I know I will miss Carol - lots.
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