Struggling For The Balance

I haven’t talked to anyone in my three years as a Member of Parliament who feels that we have anything but a challenging life. The hours are grueling at best: endless time in committee, research, meeting with delegations, and policy preparation, not to mention what feels like non-stop travel. Then when you are home in your riding there are those inevitable pressures to attend a multitude of events, while at the same time assisting constituents with their legitimate issues in trying to access federal services.The narrative obviously changes when citizens assess the performance of politicians, however. Universal kudos for working long hours means little if nothing comes of all that effort.With such pressures, placing priority on family matters becomes an MP’s greatest challenge.  If you’re someone like me with three children not yet in their teen years, with a food bank and an African non-governmental organization to run, the demands can be excruciating.And then in the midst of all this comes one of those family moments that eclipses all else in political life.  I spent the last two days in northern Ontario with my daughter Kristy, her husband Mike, and my new grandson, Jackson.  Now this might not be of great interest to the politicos who read this blog, but the importance of something like this in an MP’s life cannot be underestimated – seen in perspective, it can become one of the pivotal memories in a life of public service.Sandwiched between events in London and responsibilities in Ottawa were two wonderful days spent holding a new life and marveling at one of nature’s great miracles. I won’t bore with sentimentalities, yet I must admit that such a moment refocuses the mind and builds a greater perspective.  In other words, it pushes “reset,” effectively reminding us that the public’s right to expectations must never crowd out our commitments to family and community.There isn’t an MP in Canada today who doesn’t struggle to find the proper balance and sometimes we don’t succeed.  It’s made all the more difficult by the low esteem which seems to run concurrent with MP’s efforts these days.  In such a climate, one’s family takes on even greater importance.I’ve been lucky enough to have seven children, two grandchildren now, with a third coming in February. My kids faithfully stay in contact every day, sharing their love and making it impossible for me to forget their importance in my life. Ironically, the decision to run for politics was in part predicated on my own desire to provide them a better country.And to Jackson, the newest reality in my life, I can only commit to being there as often as I can and to fighting for the kind of country you can be proud to be part of. It’s the least I can do as a loving Granddad and as a struggling Member of Parliament.