Cheering on “Vegas”

Ruth Ellen Brosseau, MP for Berthier-Maskinonge, on her first visit to her riding. (Picture: Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

After much attention was focused on her for her mid-campaign trip to Las Vegas, and then on the inability of the press to find her in the election's aftermath, it seems some sanity might be returning to the life of new MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau – if chasing around Parliament Hill trying with all the other newly elected MP's trying to figure out which way is up qualifies as sanity.

Reading some articles about her paints a picture of a pretty ordinary Canadian – and I mean that as a compliment. Mother to a 10-year old, Logan, she became pregnant at 16, having her son at 17, and in the process was apparently ostracized by some of her friends. After leaving school to have Logan, the centre of her life, she worked to complete high school by correspondence, and has since worked, sometimes two different jobs, to support her and her son.

She has had some flak directed at her as a result of her election. The peanut gallery dismisses her as not speaking French, or at least enough French. She didn't campaign in her riding. And so on. Well, if anyone has an issue with this, the blame goes on the voters of Berthier-Maskinonge. And the noises coming out of the riding, excluding those of coming from her competitors, has been very open-minded. Seems her new constituents are willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

As should the rest of us. She is the duly elected Member for Berthier-Maskinonge, and a rookie MP like so many others who will journey to the nation's capital for the June 2 return of Parliament. She has a job to do, and she has four years to prove to her constituents she is worthy of being given their vote again.

So enough cheap shots and baseless accusations. Congratulations on your win, “Vegas”, and I hope the next four years are good to you and Logan both.