At the outset of my nomination campaign, I was brimming with optimism. I imagined myself winning in the 2022 provincial election, making speeches and writing my first private members bill. The last thing I expected was to be withdrawing my candidacy seven months later, and requesting for my application fees to be returned.

As a nomination contestant for the Ontario Liberals, I had a front-row seat to unwelcoming and discouraging behaviour that changed my outlook on the party, and all of Canadas major political parties in general. Though this experience would lead me to end my hard-fought candidacy prematurely, it also marked the beginning of an eye-opening personal journey of political exploration.