Michael Den Tandt, Liberal candidate in this year's federal election, made the following comments last night at the Harmony Centre after calling Conservative Alex Ruff to congratulate him on becoming MP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. Den Tandt took 30% of the local vote in an election that saw his party retain a minority government.

"I want to extend my thanks to my fellow candidates, Chris Stephen, Danielle Valiquette, Alex Ruff, Bill Townsend and Dan Little, for conducting themselves and their campaigns with good humour and respect.

And I want to thank all of you who contributed to this remarkable, wonderful campaign.
Politics is a team sport. And although, as your candidate, I’ve carried the flag, you’ve carried me on your shoulders the entire way.”

He went on to warmly thank his family, close friends and campaign team by name, and continued:

“That’s what you call a big tent team, focused on the big picture. Under our big tent we have, right now, climate leaders Liz Zetlin and John Anderson, and lifelong conservatives, and New Democrats, and Liberals, and everyone in between.
That is multi-partisan or bi-partisan politics. That is what we need so much more of.

So many people across Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound embraced that pragmatic, ‘get-‘er-done’ approach. It’s an approach I saw first-hand when I worked for the Prime Minister and Minister Chrystia Freeland. It’s an approach we all saw here when they each came to Owen Sound to support our campaign. I am deeply grateful to them for that.”

“Win or lose, we knew this was a campaign that would set the bar for future elections in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.
We knocked on more than 7,000 doors. Made more than 10,000 phone calls.  Had about 20,000 – twenty thousand! -- conversations with voters. And we reached out with well over 50,000 attempted contacts with voters.
We have been relentless. We campaigned in every corner of the riding, from Tobermory to Dundalk and every community in between.”

“We were driven and inspired by our belief that the people of our community deserve and have a right to expect active, engaged, progressive leadership.
Our belief that the climate plan we have in place right now is essential to our collective future.
Our belief that too many working people and working families, particularly here, are struggling, because our community has long been and continues to be underserviced, relative to the large cities to our south.

To have worked so very hard, and fallen short of our goal, is of course a heartbreaker.
But all those gains, all the hard work, all the door- knocking, the thousands of conversations with the good people of Bruce- Grey-Owen Sound ... they are not lost. They’re investments in our future.

The coalition we built, on hope in a better future for our community - that’s not going away. It exists. We can keep it going in the work that we do every day. It’s up to all of us to make sure that happens.

In the meantime, we’ll be pounding on the door of government, holding their feet to the fire, demanding the progressive, helpful policies that the vast majority of Canadians support.

We are fortunate to live in a democratic country, where the peaceful transition of governments is both expected and celebrated. In that spirit I extend my personal congratulations to Alex Ruff.  I want him to succeed as the MP for Bruce-Grey Owen Sound. It’s very important for people here that he does succeed. There is a great deal to do.

And to all of you here, know that Bruce-Grey Owen Sound Liberals have never been stronger than in this campaign – and we will be back, louder and stronger and more tenacious than ever.
Because the people of this community expect and deserve nothing less.”