After weeks of trying to speak with an elected official, whether an MP or MLA, I started to feel like no one was reachable anymore. I had sent emails, left voicemails, walked into offices, called to confirm messages, and waited days and weeks with no response.
One of the most frustrating moments came when I visited an office, saw the door camera, heard my phone call ringing from inside, and could hear laughter from behind the door. I knew they saw me. I knew they heard the phone. But no one answered. Just laughter.
That kind of experience stays with you. It makes you feel invisible, or worse, like you are bothering people who are supposed to be there to help. It does not just frustrate you; it humiliates you. It makes you question whether your concerns matter to anyone at all. And sometimes, it leads you to reconsider where to vote, or how to influence the people around you, simply because of how you were treated by someone behind a desk or on the other side of a door.
Not every personal issue needs a politician to be solved. But the trauma caused by being dismissed, ignored, or treated like a nuisance by office staff — that can stay with you much longer than the original problem ever would have.
And that is why today felt so different.
I called the office of Garnett Genuis, the MP for Sherwood Park–Fort Saskatchewan, fully expecting the same silence or cold brush-off. But this time, someone answered. Actually, two people did.
What followed may not have been a clean, well-planned conversation, it was more like a one-sided outpouring. I talked a lot. Maybe too much. I jumped from one point to another, shared my thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. But those two young staffers did not interrupt. They did not rush me. They did not roll their eyes or brush me off. They simply listened, calmly, professionally, respectfully.
They made me feel like a person again. And in that moment, that meant everything.
I won’t forget how they made me feel. In contrast to the dismissive attitude I’ve seen in some other offices, their kindness stood out, not because they accepted us, but because they treated me with basic human decency.
So, thank you to the two remarkable individuals at the office. You reminded me that it’s not the title on the door that matters; it’s how the people behind it treat those who come seeking help.
Small actions leave a deep mark. And today, your actions made a difference.