“The local Liberal party machine is getting behind ‘X’s’ run for mayor,” a friend told me a few weeks ago.

“The local Liberal party has a machine?” I queried in surprise.

Granted, it’s been some time since I’ve been involved in the inner workings of the Liberal or any other political party. Truth be told, I can remember when the Liberals actually had something approaching a machine in Peterborough.

There was a federal election in 1972. David and I were fairly new to the city then and I wanted to lend a hand getting our Liberal member, Hugh Faulkner, re-elected.

That’s when I first met Marg Tunney, who was probably the closest I ever came to a “political boss.”

Within hours of the writ being dropped, this nurse at St. Joseph’s hospital had Faulkner’s campaign up and running. All the wheels in place. All the gears oiled. It was a joy........

© Peterborough Examiner