Victoria Cate May Burton describes 2011 as a B次元官网网址減retty normalB次元官网网址� one for her.
The 20-year-old finished up her third year of studies at KingB次元官网网址檚 University in Halifax, she did some traveling, and she provided support for her mom, whose year was anything but normal.
In September, the family matriarch had hip replacement surgery B次元官网网址� after a painful nine months on a wait list. Earlier in the year, she got a new job that transferred her 3,000 miles across the country.
She also made significant political history.
B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 lived on my own in more than two decades,B次元官网网址� Elizabeth May says with a laugh in the living room of her Sidney home.
May faced some major lifestyle changes after becoming the federal Green partyB次元官网网址檚 first-ever candidate to be elected to the House of Commons.
Sidney is MayB次元官网网址檚 permanent address, though she lived out of her apartment in Ottawa for most of the year.
B次元官网网址淚 sometimes wonder whether other leaders of other parties have problems finding time to do laundry, finding time to clean their apartment. B次元官网网址� I like living on my own, though. ItB次元官网网址檚 nice knowing IB次元官网网址檓 not inconveniencing someone else when IB次元官网网址檓 up early and working late.B次元官网网址�
After BurtonB次元官网网址檚 spring exams wrapped up, she returned home to the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding to help with her momB次元官网网址檚 federal election campaign.
On May 2, the 57-year-old May overwhelmingly beat incumbent Conservative MP Gary Lunn.
That night, inside a hangar just steps from Victoria International Airport, May and Burton were thrust onto the national stage. Media outlets across Canada broadcast the Green leaderB次元官网网址檚 historic victory speech, her youngest daughter standing at her side.
B次元官网网址淐andidates usually have this ritualistic thing where you donB次元官网网址檛 mingle with supporters until you know the results. I had a really unpleasant experience in the previous election B次元官网网址� where the media kept me busy with interviews, by the time I got out to see my friends it was midnight and a lot of people had gone home,B次元官网网址� May says. B次元官网网址淚 thought: B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 not going to let that happen again.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� It was quite fun watching the election returns with friends and supporters. I was much happier this time B次元官网网址� and not just because I got elected.B次元官网网址�
Inside MayB次元官网网址檚 home, itB次元官网网址檚 apparent kith and kin are important. Photos of people populate the aquamarine walls, and peer out from handmade ornaments dangling off the Christmas tree.
One dated snapshot features May with her mother and daughter alongside then-U.S. President Bill Clinton in the oval office. B次元官网网址淥h yeah, BillB次元官网网址檚 an old friend,B次元官网网址� she says, explaining that her mom Stephanie met Clinton in the 1960s when she was an activist and he was a student at Yale.
In the dining room, May shows off two more framed photos of herself and the former president at more recent gatherings.
Burton is MayB次元官网网址檚 biological daughter with her ex-husband Ian Burton, who has two daughters and a son from a previous relationship.
Despite separating, May remains close to her step-children, she says.
B次元官网网址淭he sad thing (about 2011) is how little I got to see my family. WeB次元官网网址檙e really close,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淲e try to get together as often as we can, which is hard, because weB次元官网网址檙e scattered between Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Toronto, Haliburton (Ont.), and Nova Scotia.B次元官网网址�
After the House of Commons adjourned on Dec. 16, May and Burton travelled to Toronto and then Margaree Harbour, N.S. to see family. They returned to Vancouver Island for a few days, then headed to the mainland and caught the train back to Toronto for more family visits and to ring in the New Year.
Looking back on 2011, May says she wonB次元官网网址檛 soon forget the state funeral held for NDP leader Jack Layton, who passed away on Aug. 22.
B次元官网网址淭he funeral was quite a stunning event in Canadian political life, and it managed to be a very uplifting, life-affirming event,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚t was emotional for Canada B次元官网网址� whether youB次元官网网址檙e NDP or not, and obviously IB次元官网网址檓 not NDP B次元官网网址� but it was certainly a moment and an experience IB次元官网网址檒l never forget.B次元官网网址�
As for the political strides she made this past year, she first offers a caveat: B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e very, very much at a loss for ways to make a difference when thereB次元官网网址檚 a majority government.
B次元官网网址淚 refuse to heckle, but I also refuse to speak while being heckled. If I sit down in the middle of a question itB次元官网网址檚 because IB次元官网网址檓 being heckled,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚 want to engage other MPs in the same strategy, because if you can bring about decorum, I think thatB次元官网网址檚 a huge contribution. B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 also trying to be really respectful and non-partisan in the way I approach issues, so that IB次元官网网址檓 making friends on all sides of the House, so I can hopefully change the opinion of some government members.B次元官网网址�
She has a good attendance record B次元官网网址� better than any other party leader B次元官网网址� having only missed nine days in the House (four days following hip replacement surgery, and five for a climate change conference in Durban, South Africa last month).
B次元官网网址淭his is the perfect time in my life to work this hard. I donB次元官网网址檛 want to miss an opportunity to make a difference,B次元官网网址� she says.
Fifteen-hour workdays are pretty standard for her during the week. She works almost exclusively from her desk in the House of Commons so as to not miss anything important.
B次元官网网址淚 want to track all legislation. B次元官网网址� Thus far, IB次元官网网址檝e spoken on the floor on every single bill,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淭he average MP, with a caucus of one, would not be up to speed on all the things that come through the House, but we have great volunteers in (the Green PartyB次元官网网址檚) Parliament Hill office.B次元官网网址�
Her only opportunity to relax, she says, is her Sunday morning church service. May, an Anglican, enjoys the fellowship that comes with attending church, and the chance it provides B次元官网网址� albeit briefly B次元官网网址� to step away from a hectic life.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think I could do this work without how much (church) restores me on a weekly basis,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚 feel revived, I feel refocused in my energy and my purpose.B次元官网网址�
Despite having a higher profile job now and facing the different stresses that come with it, Burton says her mom hasnB次元官网网址檛 changed B次元官网网址� sheB次元官网网址檚 just a little busier.
B次元官网网址淎ll I get to experience of my momB次元官网网址檚 work life is what she tells me about it,B次元官网网址� Burton says, noting that her mom has been active in political movements for a long time. B次元官网网址淭hings like going to climate change conferences, being exposed to politics B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 not new.B次元官网网址�
Though itB次元官网网址檚 challenging and intensive, May says her job B次元官网网址� which sheB次元官网网址檒l hold until at least October 2015 B次元官网网址� is a perfect fit.
B次元官网网址淭his is exactly what I should be doing. I hate to sound vain, but IB次元官网网址檓 really good at it,B次元官网网址� May says.
B次元官网网址淚 love being a Member of Parliament. IB次元官网网址檓 not naturally fond of politics, in the sense of party politics, but I love government. I know a lot about how parliament works, I have a lot of experience on Parliament Hill, so in a weird way being elected felt like coming home.B次元官网网址�
kslavin@saanichnews.com
