My Call with the Prime Minister
By the end of the day, we’ll get a sense of the changes within the Liberal Party of Canada , and how things could play out politically over the coming months. I thought I’d share this story about my only interaction with the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau. I don’t write this with the intent of influencing anyone on how they should feel about the Prime Minister. I share this, though, because it’s a true story, and I hope it can help us progress toward humanizing each other in our country. I’d be happy to take a call from any of our national leaders; even those I disagree with, and they would be treated well. There will always be hope in Canada as long as we can keep talking to one another. As always, I will continue to pray for all those who represent us in Ottawa.
I wrote this back in May 2020:
While baking a loaf of bread today, my phone rang. The call display indicated that it was coming from Ottawa.
"Good morning, is this Jordan Majeau?"
"Yes, this is, how can I help you?" I replied.
"This is the switchboard for the office of the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would like to speak with you, would you like to take his call?" At first, I thought this was a joke, but there was something about this call that made me believe this was for real.
"Yes, I will take his call." It seemed like the right thing to do. I didn't think asking them to call back would be appropriate.
"Thank you; please hold one moment." and then a second later, "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have Jordan Majeau on the line with you."
A sentence I never imagined ever hearing… but I just did.
"Hey, Jordan! How are you? I received your very kind note a few days ago, and I just wanted to follow up and say thank you and to see how you and your family are doing." It was Justin Trudeau.
I then had a friendly, quick chat with the Prime Minister. I told him a bit about my family and that my wife is a nurse doing contact tracing work with Alberta Health Services and that I've been temporarily laid off and spending time at home, taking care of my kids and baking sourdough.
How did I spend my time talking to the Prime Minister? We talked about sourdough bread and being a stay at home, Dad. We spoke about being able to connect with all kinds of Canadians and focusing on what's important. I also let him know that my note of encouragement was genuine. No matter who is in office, I am praying for the Prime Minister, I care about the country and wish him the best. He thanked me and asked me to pass along his regards to my friends and family.
All-day, I've been asking myself, "Did that really just happen?". I'm delighted that I was able to say something positive in the brief time that I had. I'm also pleased to live in a vast country that's still small enough that the Prime Minister’s office can select a letter and prepare a personalized response.
I'm learning that a great loaf of sourdough bread comes from the strength of the culture that serves as it's base. The yeast quickly reacts with the other very basic ingredients of flour, water, and a bit of salt to create something that is the quintessential symbol of hospitality. You only need a small culture, and you can build from there. Being kind, gracious, and respectful are potent elements of a healthy culture. We still have a Canadian culture where a Liberal Prime Minister can call up an Albertan and have a kind and friendly conversation about life. Let's keep sustaining this. Our culture is at risk, but I know there are enough of us out there willing to learn to break bread, both literally and metaphorically. Be kind, be hopeful, and see the good in others.
Thanks for reading friend, I want to live in a country where we can talk to one other, I hope you do too.