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A month after the federal election one wouldn't expect the campaign office of the newly elected Member of Parliament for the riding of Parkdale-High Park, Gerard Kennedy, to be a buzz of activity - particularly before 7 a.m.

But, on Nov. 14, at 6:50 a.m. Kennedy's office on Dundas Street West is packed with about 60 volunteers, happily chatting and awaiting Kennedy's arrival.

When he arrives, at about 7 a.m. the group loads on to a waiting bus and after ensuring all the passengers were on board it pulls out, heading off to see Kennedy be sworn in as an MP and to tour the Parliament buildings.

"We are off to Ottawa!" volunteer Karin McNair said, and the bus load responded with a resounding "Yahoo!"

Kennedy, formerly a provincial politician, was elected to his first term of Parliament on Oct. 14, he said, thanks in great part to the people gathered on the bus.

"Election night I said in a symbolic way, 'I'm going to take you all with me to Ottawa,'" Kennedy said. "It was pledging not to get cynical or get removed, but pretty quickly this trip began to make sense."

The people on the bus occupied themselves by chatting about politics, knitting and reading. Kennedy's daughter Theria flitted around the bus talking to people and drawing in a sketch book.

It was a diverse group - different ages, ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds. There was about 500 people who volunteered for Kennedy during his campaign. There was a list of people Kennedy wanted invited, particularly seniors and people on a fixed income, and then a call went out to volunteers interested in the trip. Those who could, paid $25 for the trip and others were covered by the local riding association.

The idea was to make sure people who wouldn't otherwise get to Ottawa or get to a swearing in would get to come.

"That is a good reflection on our riding I think. I had a lot of people volunteer who are in that position, but we made sure there was space for them and we are particularly interested in having them come here and see that government is a friendly thing not something mysterious in Ottawa."

The Parkdale Senior

Jean Fray lives in an apartment building on West Lodge Avenue in Parkdale. During the election campaign she took Kennedy around her building to meet some of the residents.

She immigrated to Canada in 1967 from England although she was born in Barbados. She comes from a politically-minded family. She said her uncle started the first workers union in Barbados and she has always taken an interest in politics.

"In Barbados, fairness to people is what they stress to people all the time. You have to be fair to people to get a quiet country, a peaceful country, because if the people are treated fairly, they are not going to rebel."

Kennedy, she said, has a good track record and that is what drew her to him.

"I'm 72 years old. I am a (Pierre Elliott) Trudeau person and I want to see the young people take over Canada and bring it back to those good days where the carpenter lived next door to the butcher, next door to brick layer and they all had proper and decent homes," Fray said.

She thinks Kennedy is the man who is going to bring back the Canada she knows and loves.

"Canada is a blessed place and we want it to stay like that in the world," she said.

The former food bank co-worker

"I figured I had worked quite hard in that campaign, why not come out and see the results," Sue Cox said with a hearty laugh. "And some of the people I worked with on the campaign, it was a chance to get together with them again as much as anything else."

Cox is a former director of the Daily Bread Food Bank and knows her way around the political scene.

"But, for all the times I came to Ottawa to depute at committees and for meetings and lobbying I never actually went on the tour," she said.

Cox doesn't even live in the riding of Parkdale-High Park, she lives in Cabbagetown, but she has known Kennedy for 20 years.

He was working at the Daily Bread food when Cox moved to Toronto. She answered an advertisement for a position with the organization.

"I am pretty committed to what he stands for and what he is trying to do," she said. "I know that he has a vision that is different, it is not typical and I don't think he is going to be your typical, out-of-the-mold politician either."

The Lawyer

Will Wallace, is a lawyer who lives in Bloor West. He helped canvas for Kennedy during the election campaign.

His favourite part of the day was the tour of Parliament.

"The library of Parliament is amazing. It is beautiful. It was the most visually interesting part of the tour," he said. "But, my favourite part was getting to stand on the floor of the House of Commons.

As he left the building, Wallace said where to go from here is up to Kennedy now.

"I think he will do a great job for everyone in Parliament and the rest of us can just plug away helping him build his grassroots for the party."

Wallace said he believes Kennedy is committed to building up Canadian politics and the Liberal party in particular.

"I think Gerard is a great guy. He is committed to the right causes, but I think he is a genuine person as well. You really get that sense talking to him."

The first-time volunteer

Latamene Benghanen is from France originally and lives at Dundas and Bloor streets. He has lived in Canada for nine years. This past election was his first time volunteering for a political party.

He handed out Kennedy's literature and CDs.

"I appreciated the time I spent with Gerard Kennedy and the most important thing was that we won this election," Benghanen said. "In the future (Kennedy) will bring all the concerns of High Park and Parkdale to Ottawa because that is what we need."

Benghanen found the trip interesting, especially since it had been the first time he went inside the Parliament building.

"I saw the swearing in and saw how that worked and for me it was something I learned. I've never had the chance to have this kind of thing.

"It was good of Gerard to invite us after working hard. It is kind of a recognition from him. We worked very hard for the Liberal party and for him," he said.

Now Benghanen said he expects Kennedy to work for them and bring their concerns to Ottawa.

"I am very confident and I look forward to him making this happen for our area," Benghanen said.

The teenager

Julia Fraiser, is 15 years old and lives in North York. It seems an unlikely combination for one of Kennedy's volunteers, but she said her aunt lives in the neighbourhood and asked her to come down and help out.

"I didn't mind doing it," she said. "It actually turned out to be really interesting."

The experience ended up fueling an interest in politics. She had never been to Ottawa before, let alone in the Parliament buildings.

"It is really beautiful here," she said. "I didn't realize how big Parliament actually is, I thought is was like (Toronto) City hall."