Former candidates share memories of the campaign trail
'I remember being shocked by what's happening just behind our neighbour's house'
These veterans of the 2015 provincial election campaign may not be running in 2019, but they all have fond memories of the door-to-door campaign.
"You're knocking on a door, you're not sure who lives there, if they're going to be friendly or not," said Paul Montgomery, who ran for the Liberals in Kensington-Malpeque.
"You knock on the door with an open mind and you hope the people on the other side of the door have an open mind as well."
There was record snowfall in the winter of 2014-15, and during the April campaign it could still be difficult to get around.
"I remember how cold and chilly it was outside but how warm the conversations [were], and the friendliness of the people and getting to hear about what people cared about and what they were struggling with," said Derrick Biso, who ran for the Greens in Charlottetown-Brighton.
Memories of the struggles she heard about stand out for Debbie Montgomery, who was the Progressive Conservative candidate in Evangeline-Miscouche.
"I remember being shocked by what's happening just behind our neighbour's house, things that happen behind closed doors and you don't realize how much people are struggling or suffering," said Montgomery.
"I still, to this day, can drive by in my community and think back to what this person said or that person was feeling or dealing with."
She also remembers the long days, getting up at 5 a.m. to do tasks around the house and get her children ready for school, and getting to bed at midnight after posting her campaign blog.
The hours were long for Susan Birt, who ran for the NDP in Souris-Elmira, as well. And even with that it could be a challenge to get to all the doors in your district. You couldn't go too early in the morning because people would be getting ready for their day. You didn't want to disturb people at mealtimes either.
And, added Paul Montgomery, "We never knocked on doors when Compass was on."
Regular meals were a rarity during the campaign, said Birt, who would carry supplies with her.
"A thermos of tea was one thing and perhaps a sandwich. Or just something that you could eat quickly because you had to be moving all the time," she said.
For Biso, the biggest lesson of the campaign was that he couldn't do it alone.
"The thing that I was really made aware of was how much time and how much energy it required to run a successful campaign," he said.
And, he said, he is still grateful for all the people that worked so hard for him.
More P.E.I. news
With files from Island Morning