On the line from her office in Ottawa, just before the October election, former MP Alexa McDonough is sitting amongst boxes of stuff, contemplating her retirement after 13 years serving as MP for Halifax. Having first run for public office in 1979, she’s seen a lot of changes. “Your inclination is to want to save everything,” she says. “I’m sending some to the National Archives and some to the Nova Scotia Archives. Who knows, in the end maybe I’ll have a big bonfire.” She has very kind things to say about the three candidates for the NDP nomination, and her actual successor, Megan Leslie. “She’s a fabulous community activist. When I started it was hard to get anyone to run.” Upon returning from Ottawa she is planning on getting her feet back on the ground here in Halifax, to reconnect with family and friends. She accounts for her success as a politician for remembering that “you never take voters for granted. Every day you have to reinforce people’s trust in you.”
1st Runner-up: Geoff Regan
2nd Runner-up: Peter Stoffer