In 2001, United Church of Canada minister Cheri DiNovo conducted the first legal same sex marriage. This led to prominent news coverage and a member of Parliament reaching out and suggesting she run for office. Though Cheri had a history of social justice activism, she was new to the traditional political process and its challenges. “I thought … perhaps I could accomplish more sitting in one of those seats in government than I could standing at the pulpit, and so I threw my hat in the ring. And I was incredibly naive. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.”

In this second episode, Cheri dives into the perils and grit of securing a party nomination—an undertaking she wouldn’t repeat if she had known the vitriol she’d receive from the press. Cheri also reviews the legislation she passed during her time in office, including a $10 minimum wage bill and Toby’s Act, which bars discrimination based on gender identity or expression.