I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Niagara West-Glanbrook for showing their confidence in me by re-electing me to a fourth term in the Ontario Legislature. It was very gratifying to again be chosen by the people of West Lincoln and Lincoln in overwhelming numbers. I look forward to being a strong voice for the Grimsby, Pelham, Glanbrook and Upper Stoney Creek communities, as I am officially representing for the first time.

It was a whirlwind campaign that, while disappointing for the PC Party province-wide, produced our best ever results locally (51 per cent of the vote and a 10,000 vote margin). Most notably, a week before Election Day, Debbie and I welcomed our first child, our daughter, Miller Olive Hudak into this world. It will be a campaign that we will never forget.

To the residents of West Niagara – I will work hard for you to ensure that your priorities are the priorities of decision makers at Queen’s Park. To my dedicated and hard working campaign volunteers, I am indebted to you for your incredible efforts and faith in me. When Miller’s early arrival took me off the campaign trail, you took it up a notch. I also thank my opponents and their supporters for their admirable commitment to democracy and passionate advocacy of their own beliefs.

After an election, a number of traditions are observed at Queen’s Park. First, MPPs (both veterans and rookies) are “sworn in.” The swearing-in ceremony is a memorable time for MPPs to individually take the oath of office among family and friends at Queen’s Park. An MPP can not serve or take a seat in the Assembly until he or she has taken the oath.

Around the same time, the Premier appoints cabinet ministers and other officers such as the whip and parliamentary assistants. After an election, Premiers face a difficult choice between maintaining the status quo and shaking things up by bringing new faces into Cabinet.

After the Cabinet has been set, the leaders of the opposition parties assign opposition MPPs to various critics’ roles, sometimes known as the shadow cabinet. John Tory and Howard Hampton will want to line up the skills and experience of their own caucuses to highlight various issues or target particular ministries for special attention during question period.

Once all of the MPPs have been sworn in, the Legislature will be called back into session. The first order of business is to elect a speaker. Because the speaker acts as an impartial referee over the proceedings in the Legislature, the speaker is determined by a secret ballot of MPPs. MPPs of any political party who are interested in serving as the speaker are nominated by other MPPs. The clerk of the Legislative Assembly conducts a series of secret ballots with the nominee for speaker who receives the fewest votes dropping off each successive ballot until one candidate remains.

Finally, the Lieutenant-Governor will read a document prepared by the government known as the speech from the throne. The speech from the throne sets out the broad goals of the government in the session ahead and explains how they expect to reach those goals.

I look forward to the opportunity during debate and question period to advocate for local issues that people told me they wanted addressed, such as kick starting the Mid-Peninsula Corridor, funding a gypsy moth spraying program, providing support for agriculture, establishing a health card clinic in Glanbrook, expanding the protected area around the Eramosa Karst Conservation Area in Stoney Creek, and advancing the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital and McNally House hospice projects.

While this is my fourth time through the cycle of these post-election traditions, I still find them very inspiring. They are powerful reminders of the significant trust voters have put in us and our duty to reciprocate by acting honourably to advance the best interest of those who sent us there in the first place.