Dear members,

I am humbled and gratified to address you as the new Leader of the Pirate Party of Canada.

In my time with the party, I have worked diligently to serve our needs and our interests to the best of my ability. That motivation has led me here, determined to serve the Pirate Party as we forge ahead into uncharted political waters.

Jake Daynes, my colleague and former fellow leadership candidate, will serve alongside me in Federal Council as Director-at-Large. He has behaved with vision and integrity during the his time as party leader, and I expect no less of him in his new role. To those who supported him in the election, rest assured that his skills and leadership will not go to waste.

I am gratified to see how close the election was, with Jake and I separated by a margin of only 4 votes (2.4%). This is a sign of true democracy at work, where strong candidates can stand side-by-side and every vote counts. Unfortunately, the contest for the position of Director-at-Large was not so heated, but having personal experience with all of the new and returning Directors, I have the utmost confidence in their abilities and commitment.

It will be our job to carry this democratic spirit into the next federal election. To that end, the work begins now of building the Pirate Party into the strongest candidate that it can be, and we can’t do it alone. By volunteering, contributing, and getting the word out about our party and our vision, you can help us to build the party and the Canada that we all want to see.

The work begins today, not just for myself, not just for my colleagues in the Federal Council, but for all of us. There are monumental goals to achieve and tremendous obstacles in our way, but together, we are equal to this task.

Thank you all for your support, past and future. Let’s start building.

Mikkel Paulson
Leader
Pirate Party of Canada