The Decentralists

The Peace Coalition goes to Ottawa - Part 2

July 18, 2023 Mike Cholod, Henry Karpus & Geoff Glave Season 5 Episode 9
The Decentralists
The Peace Coalition goes to Ottawa - Part 2
Show Notes Transcript

After being summoned by the Government of Canada, Mike’s about to walk into several meetings with some of the highest-ranking officials and Ministers in Ottawa. Learn all the details including ‘what it’s really like’ within the hallowed halls of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill. Mike was rather surprised!


Please join us to learn who’s involved, what was discussed, and the next steps to move forward on this episode of The Decentralists.

00:00.00
Henry
Hey, everyone it's Henry Mike and Jeff of the decentralists and we're going to be speaking with Mike once again, you might recall from our last episode Mike wasn't in Ukraine. He had been for nine months he was actually speaking with us in Vancouver's hometown was wonderful, but but but now he's he's somewhere in Europe I'm sure because he's he's he's he's left Canada he's heading towards Ukraine but I know he has a number of meetings and ah several people to see in Europe so he's somewhere but Mike ah.

00:33.58
Geoff
Um, but I believe the phrase we're looking for Henry as international man of mystery.

00:38.60
Mike
Oh I Love that oh behave.

00:43.51
Henry
Ah, you got the line. Ah, ah, that's great. That's rock and roll baby all right all right? Okay, so he's in Europe somewhere. Ah.

00:49.47
Mike
As rock and roll by sensual massage. Let's just have some fun with the folks.

00:49.80
Geoff
The.

00:59.42
Henry
Anyway, um, if you had listened to our last podcast Mike was detailing just how he was why he went to Ukraine in the first place and then based on all the work that you'd done there. You have done there with the peace coalition. The fact that the canadian government.

01:14.82
Mike
Yep.

01:17.96
Henry
Has been noticing and summoned you back to Ottawa to um to advise them on on some details and there might be a plan brewing but 1 thing you didn't chat with us about. Ah, during the last podcast was you know who you actually met with ah and and how did it transpire those are the kind of details I'd love to hear about Mike.

01:40.27
Mike
All right Henry well you know? yes, um in the last episode we were talking about getting a summons and you know normally that's not something that you want right? because it involves some kind of lengthy court proceeding but this was a summons that that I was more than happy to take because it was an invitation to come to Ottawa.

01:48.65
Henry
Yes.

01:58.50
Mike
To um, you know, kind of part of it in in kind of appreciation and acknowledgement of the work that we'd been doing over six months but also to kind of I get I think you know be there to you know, add some.

02:06.34
Henry
Ah.

02:14.89
Mike
Answer some questions or just to continue to work on this thing we've been doing for six months but at ah at a higher level in ah in a faster level right? and so like any other organization right? Government functions the same way the higher up you go in the tower you know towards the boardroom at the top.

02:19.45
Henry
Yeah.

02:32.10
Mike
The faster things get done. Okay and so this is kind of what it's been. It's been a six month project at the at the in the bowels of ah you know the accounting department in the basement and it's moved its way steadily up the tower to the point where the boardroom now wants to see it.

02:33.58
Henry
Ah.

02:48.99
Mike
And so you know I'm I'm the guy that pushes that card around with all the paper you know in the office and so the idea is we get summoned to Ottawa right? and the end and so um, you know I I get on a plane and I fly to Toronto and then back into Ottawa and this was I think this something like the sixteenth of of.

02:50.80
Henry
Yeah.

03:08.62
Mike
Um, you know may I was in our nation's capital where you know sadly I haven't spent a lot of time you've spent more time there I think Henry um, and ah, you know it was a couple of days of of meetings on Parliament Hill it was crazy.

03:10.27
Henry
Her her.

03:25.64
Mike
You know I I went and bought myself a suit because I clearly did't take one when I was going to Ukraine for two weeks I was like I'm going to be here for two weeks in August I don't need a suit so I had to go and buy myself a suit and because you got to be proper and um, you know went to Ottawa to 2 with a.

03:27.71
Henry
I Guess not.

03:43.37
Mike
You know so a bunch of arranged meetings that um Ryan Turnbull and pet turnbull who we've been working with in the social innovation caucus and senator omavar had set up um to just kind of I guess maybe locally socialize not over zoo with everybody. Ah, you know it's like to put a.

04:00.43
Henry
Um, ah yes, yes.

04:02.80
Mike
You know, ah a real face to a name type of thing or to ah I guess an image and so you know we we you know I go to Ottawa and um, you know that started off on ah on a Tuesday morning where the very for the very first time I actually met Ryan Turnbull um never met him real. Um, and so met Ryan and we shook hands furiously running through some building you know lobby to go up to some room for a meeting. Um, and then after that something very very 1 of the coolest things I'm going to say the second coolest thing Henry that happened in Ottawa is um, ah.

04:34.53
Henry
Who.

04:40.31
Mike
I was asked the senate The senator Omaarr had arranged for for the peace coalition and for me as a representative of the group to be acknowledged in the senate and and I'm like what really and they said yeah and I said what does that involve.

04:47.89
Henry
Wow.

04:56.79
Mike
And so you know for those of you that don't know so the the canadian government sits on this piece of land in these 3 old you know, kind of west minstery style look in buildings called Parliament Hill and they're all under renovation.

05:05.57
Henry
Her.

05:11.17
Mike
So the main building with the with the clock tower and everything is under like a 15 year renovation or something and so this it is totally totally. So it's basically time and so what they did a few years ago is they took the old train station which is which is across from the chateau laurier hotel.

05:16.24
Henry
Um, yeah, well I mean the thing's like a hundred and fifty years old or something.

05:28.41
Mike
And turned it into the senate and so that's where the senate is now. So I go walk wandering down to the senate to the senate and I meet senator Omadvar for the second time because I'd met her once I was ah in in in London and her 2 aides um Paul and Stephanie and Paul and Stephanie had never met them in person and we.

05:29.46
Henry
Ah, ah.

05:47.38
Mike
They took me upstairs to the speaker's gallery. So you know, ah to the gallery right? So basically you have the the parliamentarians they sit in these benches right? 2 by side by side and they're kind of like facing each other and in a big you know i' mean it's like a lecture hall almost but they're like facing each other. Very kind of yeah you know confrontational shall we say oh oh yeah totally they moved the entire actual old hundred and fifty year old senate seats and everything into this place. Okay.

06:07.00
Henry
Um, yeah, and but it's all old school beautiful old wood probably oak and everything. It's gorgeous.

06:15.40
Henry
Okay.

06:19.34
Mike
So you sit up top in the viewing gallery. So the whole top of it is like you're kind of sitting upstairs looking down on all these politicians and so I get sitting up there and they sit me on the opposite side of the liberal or what I want I Want to say liberal the independent senators.

06:32.50
Henry
Where your people that you know are.

06:37.29
Mike
Where you were people that you know are so I sit on the opposite side and I can see senator omad var and it's a it's a it's a it's a an auspicious stay for the senate because it is the first day of the new speaker of the senate.

06:46.41
Henry
Earth.

06:51.80
Mike
And so you know the new speaker comes in and there's all of this extra pomp and circumstance and swearing in and congratulations and all of this type of stuff. It was very cool and then all of a sudden. The senator gets the speaker gets up and says I would like basically something along the lines of I would like to call on the members of the senate to please um acknowledge. Um, someone in our viewing audience our viewing. You know a gallery today and Michael Charli has been working with senator odvar and his group to peace coalition on some innovative solutions for you know the rebuilding of recovery of Ukraine and yada yada yada and I would like you all to acknowledge the contributions of these significant canadians.

07:14.40
Henry
Ah.

07:28.29
Henry
Wow right on.

07:29.88
Mike
And it was incredible. I got to stand up and all of the senators. All of them have to stand up and turn and applaud. It was really special like it was very one of those things like when I say you know like Henry that it was one of the best. Kind of 3 days of my professional career I mean how to bet much better does that get any right? and so you know it's all this you get they you stand up. You know, 20 seconds clap clap clap you sit down and and then you get written into what's called the handsard and I'm like.

07:45.73
Henry
Sure Dr. Great.

07:59.40
Henry
Oh yeah.

08:03.10
Mike
What is that and apparently it's some old you know term that basically means like the the record the written record. So everything that's said is written down somewhere now. It's probably just recorded and that means that you're you know that that thing the senate has acknowledged the peace coalition. And ah and me that's pretty cool I thank you very much but you know it gets better because I said Henry that was the second um that was the second coolest thing that happened so um, the next day. Um.

08:22.39
Henry
That is impressive congratulations.

08:32.11
Henry
Um, that's right, That's right.

08:40.70
Mike
I I am on Parliament Hill with M P Turnbull and he has said that um he has um, arranged me tickets for question period. So every Wednesday they every Wednesday actually sometimes every day they say but for sure every wednesday.

08:50.53
Henry
Oh yeah.

08:59.69
Mike
There's question period where everybody attends. Okay, so like if you if you're you know pure polyev and you want to square off against Trudeau you want to do it on a Wednesday and so they got me tickets for the Wednesday show he calls it right? and and so I go over to the parliament. You basically check everything right? You can't even.

09:05.66
Henry
Yes.

09:17.50
Mike
You can't even you can't even carry like a piece of paper a business card in your pocket check everything in and I go up to the gallery just like and it's just like the senate and it's not in the parliament buildings. It's in the west block. It's called which was renovated earlier and the courtyard in the middle has been turned into the parliament buildings and so or to this house of Commons Shall we say.

09:25.41
Henry
Yes.

09:33.33
Henry
Yes.

09:36.29
Mike
And so this is where the mps sit right? and so I get led upstairs and like the ah like the senate you have one side is basically the liberal mps and the other side is is kind of the opposition. So the conservatives the Ndp and the green right? and.

09:48.18
Henry
Her.

09:53.31
Mike
So I sit on the on top of basically ah pier polyev and I look over at ah Ryan Turnbull who's the guy that that we're working with and you know you do the wave and dothdah da and then the. They go through and they have you know, kind of introductions. They do all this stuff and they so kind of start the question period people are razzing each other and all what what you kind of see on c on c-span or cpac or whatever it is right? and and then all of a sudden I hear this ah hear this end the honorable member from whitby and.

10:13.39
Henry
Yes.

10:23.78
Mike
And I look over and Ryan gets up and he starts talking about he he starts. Um, he says you know there's been Russia's been commuting atrocities in Ukraine now for over a year and you know he's calling out a lot of what's been happening right? I mean it's all the truth and and you know this is causing ah you know, unprecedented amounts of damage.

10:34.84
Henry
Yes.

10:43.69
Mike
And who's going to pay the bill and ah you know I would like to call and the members of the house of parliament to acknowledge an exceptional canadian and an exceptional canadian organization. Peace coalition and Michael challenge for their hard work with with ah you know we've been working with them now for over six months on so on an innovative and exciting solution to refinance the bit rebuilding of Ukraine and to um, ensure that Russia is on the hook blah blah blah blah blah and all those guys now get up.

11:13.31
Henry
Um, yeah, yeah, ah.

11:14.16
Mike
I stand up I didn't expect this at all I was just invited for question period I stand up all those guys have to get up and applaud me and the peace coalition. It was crazy.

11:23.18
Henry
That's so that Mike that's that is amazing because I yeah mean I see the the canadian parliament and all the members of parliament debating on the news every night in fact I actually have that moment where you're introduced.

11:34.71
Mike
Totally.

11:40.32
Henry
And acknowledged. Um ah recorded on my bvr because because you know we have that the Canadian Parliamentary Channel Um, whenever watches. No no point is um.

11:43.37
Mike
Ah, ah thank you Henry.

11:48.12
Geoff
I But Pvr. Do you mean you have it on Vhs tape on your video set recorder.

11:55.18
Mike
Betamax.

11:59.35
Henry
I haven't and it and it it is you know what struck me was was just how sincere Ryan was I mean wow it was powerful.

12:11.52
Mike
Well, you know I'll I'll tell you Henry I mean I've met well everybody that I met Nada I'll justject this now because it's you know it. It's it's topical everybody that I met and I and I'm so I saying this I'm not. You know I'm not any I'm not identifying myself as any political stripe or any of this kind of stuff because I'm kind of apolitical right? But um, these people that I met were the nicest people that I that you could ever met meet.

12:38.54
Henry
Yeah.

12:42.56
Mike
You know and and the fact that as a canadian right? as a canadian taxpayer and somebody who relies on my government to provide services and take care of me and do things like this knowing that the people that I met were at the Helm in doing their particular jobs or whatever.

12:47.63
Henry
Who her.

13:00.16
Henry
Wow.

13:00.17
Mike
Made me feel good because they were really nice people. Okay, so basically you know and it was it was awesome. I mean we um we so then Ryan says so I'm like oh my god this is awesome and then he says okay when you when the question period is done come down I'll meet you and I want to take you to meet some of the ministers and I'm like oh that'd be great. And so I come down the stairs he comes down the other stairs we meet the bottom and he goes okay, let's go in here and he takes me in this room and it's like a Tim Hortons and an airport lounge kind of combined. Yeah, it's like a Tim Hortons in an airport lounge so you go through the doors and it's like it's a tim hortons because it's you know or it's an airport lounge because it's kind of a narrow thin room.

13:26.63
Henry
What.

13:39.67
Mike
And it's got these. You know, kind of small like chairs groups of clusters of chairs around little tables right? So it's like an airport steeps lounge but it's Tim Horns because got tureens of soup and donuts and like coffee and stuff.

13:42.31
Henry
Yeah.

13:50.87
Geoff
So I don't I don't think there's anything more I don't think there's anything more Canadian than that if you describe what's in the you know in the house of Commons in yeah and and it is in the house of commons.

13:51.70
Henry
Um, this is it's like a green room before you go on a Tv show.

13:55.71
Mike
Totally this is exactly it. This is also in every curling rink right? and it is in the house of commons. Okay, and so you go in there and and it's this basically this this Tim Hortons airport lounge is is basically this long narrow room where there's 2 2 sets of doors on the right hand side of the wall that lead up a flight of stairs that lead to the green benches that they sit on so the idea is this is what's called the caucus lounge. Okay.

14:24.17
Henry
Um, yeah.

14:27.20
Henry
Oh.

14:30.42
Mike
And so Ryan takes me in here. Pull rolls rolls me through a whole bunch of people and says oh hey and I turned this corner and he goes Michael I'd like you to meet deputy prime minister Chris Freeland she's like right there and she tiny little thing right.

14:37.34
Henry
Wow.

14:44.44
Geoff
And for those again for those who are international listeners. Ah, most people would say that if and when ah Justin Trudeau our prime minister. Um. Decides that he might end on a high note and and retire and move on to corporate boards and things. Um, she is kind of the prime minister in waiting in canada most people would would consider that to be the case.

15:06.52
Henry
Yeah, absolutely and she's she's a brilliant woman and she's essentially second in command of the government.

15:07.42
Mike
I Would think.

15:13.91
Geoff
Yeah, yeah.

15:15.68
Mike
Right? She's a finance minister and the Deputy Prime minister and she's Ukrainian and she speaks Ukrainian with her family at home and all this other good stuff right? and she's been ah the big time. The biggest champion like visible. You know, kind of I don't know you know.

15:17.33
Henry
Um, yeah, right.

15:31.48
Mike
Visible kind of let's say canadian government attack dog on the sanctions in Russia and Ukraine and all this.

15:32.36
Henry
Yeah.

15:33.41
Geoff
And I think I think I think she's also not that any canadians want to go to Russia but I think Putin has made a special special effort at banning her and saying she could never go to Russia.

15:46.36
Henry
Oh yeah, there's this as far as she hit Putin's concerned she is not welcome. Ah yeah, you probably are Mike.

15:51.24
Geoff
Yeah.

15:53.97
Mike
I I'd kind of like to get on that list I be a she swellp I might might be after this? Um, thanks Henry! Thanks Jeff and I'm on the list. Um, but you know it's one of those things that.

16:03.32
Henry
Um.

16:08.57
Mike
You know you you just turn the corner and you see this this this person that you see all the time and on Tv and it's a real human you know and so and so what I had is I had these really cool presence. So.

16:15.74
Henry
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

16:25.30
Mike
Essentially two weeks before I leave Ukraine I find out that I basically know the ukrainian banksy. Okay, and there's this artist that's been putting up kind of anti-war posters right? Ah, bring bring the boys home alive thought da da da and.

16:40.35
Henry
Um, yeah, and they're powerful I understand just like banksy.

16:43.30
Mike
Pasturing them all over kebe in the middle of the night and they are. They're just basically very simple, black and white photography right? and he get they just he puts them together out of a force and puts up these huge posters all over place in the middle the night I find out it's it's it's my friend Eura that I've known since like for at least seven months in Ukraine.

16:58.44
Henry
Cheese.

17:02.18
Mike
And I'm like you gotta be kidding me. He's like oh yeah, man really? oh I'm like I said so you're a can you make these up as posters. He's like I've never done that and I said well could you make up some a one so an a one is like a you know square meter type of thing and he goes in and he he goes and runs up for the first time he runs up. Ah, ukrainian resistance posters 6 of them autographs them and writes a personal message on the back of them for the the kind of the mainline ministers that have been involved in this process and 1 for Justin Trudeau 1 for Christian Freeland

17:21.41
Henry
Um, yeah.

17:29.17
Henry
Um, and trudeau.

17:34.49
Mike
1 for Melanie Jolie one for David Lametti who's the justice minister and one for the senator one for Ryan. Okay.

17:37.00
Henry
You know that is that is so incredible Mike because I can remember being in touch with you weeks ago and your you're pound in your head you're lamenting. What am I going to bring a little token of your cra and what am I a little gift and and you didn't know what you're going to do and then this.

17:47.40
Mike
What am I going to bring what am I going to bring this happens totally and so it's a great opportunity for for Europe for his art for you know what? I mean like you've just been. You know you get to give a present to the to a prime minister.

18:02.83
Henry
Um, yeah.

18:05.70
Mike
And it's ah it's a wonderful kind of um, you know it's a perfect gift because it it exemplifies the Ukrainian spirit in this war and so I give her this poster it says ukrainian resistance. It's got this great. You know it's got a silhouette of 2 guys. 1 guy 2 soldiers. You know one of them carrying a javelin or 1 of these things.

18:14.30
Henry
Doesn't it though.

18:25.39
Mike
Um, surface to air missile and um, you know it's been autographed and she's like oh this is great I'm going to put this up in my wall and use it as my backdrop if I ever have a call with Russia or something like that right? It's um, it's all funny and and then and then I also have a matonka doll and so a matonka doll is I was given this by a friend of mine before. I left and I was it was said she said give this to the prime minister the deputy prime minister or if you metter because she's ukrainian she'll understand and so it's a little kind of a you know woolen little puppppety kind of doll. It's about the size of your thumb.

18:56.40
Henry
Ah.

18:57.71
Mike
And it's ah it's got a little bag in its hands that are holds that hold 4 grains of wheat from Ukraine and so what you do is you carry this. It's ah it's a it's a little good luck charm for travelers.

19:00.97
Henry
Wow.

19:11.81
Mike
You carry this with you and it'll keep you safe until you are able to return to ukraine and plant those grains in Ukrainian soil right? and so you know got an opportunity to to just chat a little bit with the deputy prime minister and.

19:19.19
Henry
Um, incredible.

19:28.21
Mike
And to give her a couple and of of gifts that were heartfelt from ukrainians and then Ryan grabs me he goes oh I want you to meet David and he takes me you know, two feet away and there's David Lementi who's the justice minister and who's been working on the kind of the canadian kind of legal approach.

19:43.21
Henry
Um, oh yeah.

19:44.33
Mike
Right? So working with the international court of Justice and the international criminal court and the world trade organization and all these groups they're basically behind the scenes. They've just been prepping. They've been preparing since basically the invasion right? You think everybody's just like doing their thing until they're called upon. No no, no.

19:51.96
Henry
Wow.

20:02.93
Mike
The canadian justice department as long as I'm I'm sure other ones right? like the americans the eu or whatever have been basically working together in any jurisdiction that they think they're going to have to confront Russia crazy right.

20:13.81
Henry
Um, yeah, wow.

20:17.40
Mike
And give him a poster and it's all awesome and Dada da da da and then I meet like a couple of other ministers and and just you know, basically sit around eating donnuts and drinking coffee in in basically the locker room of the government account right? It's like the locker room.

20:36.52
Henry
Um, in other words, that's that's probably where all the real work gets done right.

20:37.65
Mike
Basically what it is well totally right.

20:39.99
Geoff
For sure and and I think it's I think it's also worth noting that right you see question period and everyone shouting and jeering and you know acting for the cameras. But then you know then they all go to the airport lounge for soup and donuts and.

20:54.25
Mike
Totally.

20:56.83
Henry
They Yeah, they probably act more human.

20:56.98
Geoff
Get down to the business of of running the country and and and and I think that's you know because they do work day to day with each other on committees and everything else and and so yeah, that's good to hear.

21:05.96
Henry
Chase. Well.

21:07.15
Mike
Well and and I mean honestly and so everybody was really really nice, right? The other thing is you'd be you know and I think something we don't see right? You have no idea how hard these people work. You know what I mean like literally there you know like Ryan and the senator.

21:18.98
Henry
Moya.

21:26.20
Mike
Always running between things and so like they'll get up in the morning and they'll go. They'll get up in the morning. The first thing they get is some email from like the whip or from the speaker or from whatever with the seating schedule for the day and usually the minimum is midnight right.

21:40.61
Henry
Um, oh man.

21:43.48
Mike
Which means they need to be prepared to have people in that chamber to debate things until midnight and then that starts again the next day. Oh and then by the way you got to somehow find a way to go home and on the weekend. Maybe if you're lucky.

21:47.92
Henry
Wow.

21:56.83
Henry
And see your family.

22:00.90
Mike
And see your family. Oh but not just that but also go out and do constituency stuff right? meet the people who elected you? Okay and so you know again, right? The the fact that this is that this is um, this is happening is incredible. Um, and then um.

22:01.79
Henry
Yes, meet the people who elected you? Yeah yeah.

22:15.63
Henry
Right.

22:20.72
Mike
Okay, there's just one other I know Henry You want to end this thing if we got like two more minutes okay so one of the meetings we had was a breakfast meeting with the social innovation caucus and one of the members was there had to leave early. Okay, he's like this is great. Blah blah blah any stuff you need from my office. Please let me know.

22:22.69
Henry
We got a minute.

22:36.21
Henry
Are.

22:38.92
Mike
And then he left and one of his staffers stayed there and she was ah yeah, a young a ukrainian woman she put her hand up and Ryan says oh yes, you have a question. She's like well I I just want to let you know that I am a refugee from Ukraine and I am in Canada. And I'm so thankful to be here and I'm working with you know the minister sous's office I'm one of his assistants and I just want you to know that my people are worth it. She said you know it is it. She said I just want you to know that my people are worth it.

23:06.52
Henry
Wow.

23:10.62
Geoff
Wow.

23:17.45
Mike
And that as a ukrainian sitting in this room knowing that the government of Canada at this high level that you find people and you're such incredibly great. People are actually working on such an incredible solution to help the ukrainian people and she starts like crying.

23:35.72
Henry
Um, oh my goodness. Oh.

23:37.25
Mike
And everybody in the room is literally crying and so it was just you know it was one of these things we're like ah you know I've said it before right? This is this. There's a special bond between the ukrainians and the canadians but this was just like one of these serendipitous things that just happened to be another not just that not just somebody supportive of Ukraine and the reparations and recovery but an actual ukrainian who had fled from this war and was actually seeing that there was real stuff happening at the highest levels. In the hallowed halls to actually help her country and and the fact that she just you know she said our people are worth it and it was like oh my god everybody was just like balling their brains out I mean I'm crying right now for god's sakes right? It was amazing.

24:23.31
Henry
Wow wow that is amazing Mike that is incredible.

24:33.60
Mike
And so you know and this was just there so this is a snapshot of basically you know going from you know literally Henry six months in 1 case, a year in another working with these good people on something and just plodding it along and along and along and then all of a sudden boom.

24:47.69
Henry
The.

24:49.88
Mike
Right? It just becomes urgent and now the dam has been blown and they've just added another $100000000000 or whatever to the bill to rebuild this country right? And now you're seeing it pick and now you've got you know summons to Ottawa meetings with ministers in the Tim Hortons right

24:55.73
Henry
Yeah, yeah.

25:09.40
Mike
You know all of this stuff happening and it's moving quickly. So there's you know to the ukrainian people that are listening to this hold on not much longer. Something's going to happen. Okay, and to you know to the canadians out there and to everybody else out there who thinks that they're that that enough money's been spent on Ukraine.

25:15.57
Henry
Fantastic.

25:28.52
Mike
No more no more. Ah, your money is going to be spent on rebuilding this country right? That's the idea and so you know and and let's face it. We owe these folks for for you know defending basically ah peace in Europe and in the western world.

25:32.15
Henry
Ah, well.

25:43.47
Henry
Yep.

25:45.67
Mike
Ah, so you know it's um, it's really really defending democracy boys. It's it's ah it's a really it is it is when I sit back and think about how far we've all come together over this last two years it is just in incredibledible and the stuff we're working on. It makes me incredibly happy and incredibly proud.

25:47.73
Geoff
Um, defending democracy.

26:05.58
Mike
And humbled to be part of this this whole process now and I can't wait to see where it goes next. Thank you Thank I'm proud of you guys? Um, when are you guys coming to ke.

26:09.83
Henry
Um, we're all proud of you Michael so wow anyway, that's um, yeah, yeah, we'll get there. No worries. But Michael thank you for um, for for sharing this.

26:12.34
Geoff
Um, we sure are.

26:18.63
Geoff
And.

26:24.84
Mike
Yes.

26:26.48
Henry
Because man those details are are really really exciting. Um, great all the best and we will catch up with you again soon. Thanks Mike.

26:29.65
Mike
More to come.

26:35.53
Mike
Thank you Henry! Thank you Jeffy Laterslaer Cray

26:35.80
Geoff
Thanks Mike bye.