As many Canadians are aware (and you should be if you're not), the minority government survived a non-confidence vote by the narrowest of margins (one vote). Quite an ending to this political soap opera. Of all the stories that sprung from the build-up, the actions of Chuck Cadman, an independent, should stand out the most.

After Belinda Stronach, a Conservative, crossed over to the Liberals, the political die had been set -- it would come down to the votes of the three independents. Most knew that Carolyn Parrish would vote in favour of the government. Although she hates Paul Martin, her distain for the Conservatives runs even deeper. Odds were David Kilgour would most likely vote against the government. Kilgour became an independent in reaction to his disgust with the Liberal Party and the sponsorship scandal. Chuck Cadman however took a different approach to making his decision: he polled his constituency. How about that?! A politician actually asked the people he represents what they thought.

In an era where political superstars are made or bought; where partisan politics are deemed more important than the will of the people; and political ambition is masqueraded as conscience, Cadman's decision making process is like a breath of fresh air. Inevitably, the public will forget about the roles people played in this historical vote. But in the meantime, let's not forget that regular people can still make a difference in the running of our country. We can thank Chuck Cadman for reminding us.