This Woman’s Facebook Post Sums Up How Lots Of Progressives Feel About Trudeau’s Win

    And Trudeau responded!

    Ishmael N. Daro
    by Ishmael N. Daro

    BuzzFeed Social News Editor, Canada

    A woman in British Columbia who cast a strategic vote for the Liberals has written an open letter to Justin Trudeau that's going viral on Facebook.

    Nicholas Kamm / AFP / Getty Images / Via facebook.com

    "I need you to know that even though I put my X next to your name, I did not vote for you. I voted against the alternative," wrote Cassandre Effe, who describes herself as an average West Coast, middle-class mom.

    "And so with this knowledge, and knowing millions of other Canadians just made the same decision out of pure rage and fear, I hope you can do a few things in your newfound position."

    She listed 10 things Trudeau should do as he takes power, including:

    • Keeping humble about his win.
    • Changing the electoral system, as he promised to do.
    • Improving Canada's international standing.
    • Protecting the environment.
    • And "fixing" Bill C-51, the controversial anti-terrorism law the Liberals supported.

    The note quickly racked up thousands of shares on Facebook. "I'm not brilliant in any way," she said. "I'm just saying what everybody else is saying and I guess it's striking a chord with people."

    View this post on Facebook
    Facebook: casandra.effe

    As of Tuesday evening Effe's post already has 13,000 shares and thousands of likes.

    Effe says she was hoping the post would make an impact but is still "super surprised" that it's getting this much traction.

    "I don't think I'm saying anything new," she said.

    Effe wrote her open letter to the next prime minister after seeing election results come in Monday night showing a crimson wave of Liberal support from Atlantic Canada on westward.

    Moodboard / Getty Images

    "It was a bit of an overwhelming moment for me because I really felt I had compromised my values by choosing to vote for Justin Trudeau," she told BuzzFeed Canada.

    "I was wondering, Oh my God, have I made a mistake? I need him to know that this is coming at a cost to a lot of people on their own values."

    Effe, who works in the non-profit sector, says she lives in a part of British Columbia where most voters are Green and NDP supporters, but who were choosing to vote strategically for the Liberals this time to unseat Stephen Harper.

    UPDATE

    Trudeau responded to Effe's letter. "Your honesty and frank words have resonated across the country, and I take them to heart," he wrote on his own Facebook page Friday.

    Justin Trudeau / Via Facebook: JustinPJTrudeau

    The incoming prime minister thanked Effe for her vote and vowed to do his best to pay attention to all Canadians, no matter if they supported his party or not.

    His first priority, he wrote, was building a cabinet, after which he'd start implementing the Liberal platform.

    He added: "I hope you stay as engaged as you are now throughout the process — and feel free to sent me another Top 10 some time down the road!"