Hello London!
Thank you, once again, for having me in this beautiful city I call home. I understand that there have been rumors swirling around about my departure from the Liberal Party, and rightly so. Therefore, tonight I plan on explaining my departure. First of all, let's talk about my political views. I believe I have truly aligned with the Pirates on many issues. For example, let's look at the issue of the Monarchy. While both of my former colleagues in the Liberal Leadership supported maintaining it, I support casting off the chains of a colonialist artifact. You know who else supports that? The Pirates. Next, I understand that a few of my colleagues crossed the floor after me. Let me be clear here, I did not have any involvement with their actions in crossing the floor. I had plans to do so after Christmas already, and the leadership shift just pushed me into pulling the trigger early. I did it, again, because the policies of the pirates reflect my genuine feelings and beliefs. Instead of waiting to untangle myself from the dying corpse of the Liberal party, I took the leap. Now, I did not take the leap for my own power. At that point, I had no idea that the Pirates were going to end up in government, not to mention the Prime Minister switching over! The choice was mine, and mine alone. You may ask, "Well Ben, why did you switch?". Besides agreeing with the Pirates, I also think they best stand for the people of Southwestern Ontario. From Direct Democracy to Climate Change, there is no doubt in my mind that the Pirates will help the people of Southwestern Ontario, Canada, and yes, even the world. When I ran, I promised not to represent a certain party, but represent the people. I have continued that promise by proposing common sense bills and actions, standing up for the people of this great riding and debating in parliament. I know some of you last month voted for a party, not the person, but I hope I can make the case to you about why I can represent you the best. I will even acknowledge that I may have broken some of the Liberal voters in this riding's trust. I will regain it, by fighting for you everyday in parliament, and making sure to let you know what I am doing for you. Thank you London, and may Canada have many bright days ahead of it.