Well, I ran in the Battle River–Crowfoot by-election. I got one vote. Just one.

Somehow I managed to reach one person with my message of changing the rural economy with easy-to-obtain business loans. The government really needs to compete with these angel investors who act as the gatekeepers of Canadian ideas. These investors are often connected to foreign money and ownership. Maybe that message resonated with that one person—maybe. That’s what I’d like to believe.

It has been an experience I think everyone should try at least once: to put your name forward and try to be elected. Run—just do it. We need more normal, independent people on the ballot. Imagine a Parliament comprised mostly of independents. How interesting would that be?

My major takeaway from this election is that politicians make it very hard to compete—extremely hard. They want their own people winning these races, and independents are often excluded. The Longest Ballot Committee changed that, and it was great to see. We all knew there was no chance, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

Above all, keep in mind: elections are won by just one vote. This election cycle taught us that too.