Being involved in an election campaign as a candidate is an incredibly rewarding experience. I have yet to meet anyone who has let their name stand for a federal election campaign and not found the journey absolutely exhilarating. Win or lose, most agree it is a life changing experience and a most humbling event.

PHOTO CREDIT - GuyLauzon.ca

Ottawa - May. 24, 2011 - Being involved in an election campaign as a candidate is an incredibly rewarding experience. I have yet to meet anyone who has let their name stand for a federal election campaign and not found the journey absolutely exhilarating. Win or lose, most agree it is a life changing experience and a most humbling event.

When you put your name on the line as a candidate, you are putting your life, your actions, your thoughts and your words on public display. Everything you say or do is open to scrutiny. You are wide open to criticism.

Conducting an election campaign at the federal level is like starting a small business in a matter of 5 weeks. A candidate has to put a campaign plan together, develop a comprehensive marketing plan, formulate a communications strategy, recruit 200-300 volunteers, set up an office complete with office furniture, electronic equipment, telecommunications capabilities and security and raise approximately $80,000 to pay for all of the above. You then have to execute your campaign plan to ensure you reach over 82,000 individual constituents and convince 50% of them to vote for you. Did I mention that all this has to be accomplished within a 5 week period?

You can understand why an election campaign is so exhilarating. Basically as a candidate you thrive on adrenalin during the campaign. There is very little time for sleep and when sleep does occur it is often restless because it is virtually impossible to keep your mind from racing. During an election campaign the stress level is off the charts. Preparing for and participating in seven debates does not help.

An election campaign is also very physically demanding. You walk miles and miles while door knocking, drive 5-6 thousand kilometers, and put out hundreds of signs. All this takes a physical toll, especially if you are not accustomed to campaigning. I can assure you one does not get bored!

After reading the above you must be wondering why I say being a candidate is such a rewarding experience. All I can say is that after participating in my fifth campaign during the past ten years, I wouldn’t change one moment of any of them. Each and every campaign has been the most challenging, fulfilling and personally rewarding experience of my life. It gives me the opportunity to meet thousands of constituents and get a real grasp of what issues are important to them. Throughout the election I heard from many constituents of SD & SG that they are concerned with the economic recovery and were looking for a stable, national Government. I am thrilled to represent the concerns of the constituents of SD & SG in Ottawa for a fourth term in a strong, stable, national Conservative Government.

Guy Lauzon
Member of Parliament
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry