Please forgive Christian Provenzano if his lawn gets long

The condition of Christian Provenzano's lawn is one of several factors that influenced him to accept the Sault Ste. Marie Federal Liberal Association's nomination to represent his party in the next federal election.

"I have been approached in grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores, Greyhound games, in the mall at lunch, on Queen Street while heading to the courthouse, in the front yard while mowing my lawn," Provenzano said tonight. "In all of these various and sundry places I have been asked by those who approached me to run."

As a result, his grass might be a little long.

But Provenzano doesn't seem to mind the interruptions.

In fact, he's inviting even more of them.

"Please feel free to approach me with your thoughts, your ideas and your opinions," the newly minted candidate said. "They're quite welcome. I am asking for them and they are valued."

And he's planning to be a very busy man over the coming months, Provenzano told about 130 party faithful gathered at the Waterfront Inn and Convention Centre.

The work, he said, will start tomorrow.

"I will wake earlier and go to sleep later than any other candidate and I will not stop between those times," he promised. "I will personally knock on more doors and ask for more votes than any other candidate."

And Provenzano is also promising a clean, fair fight.

"Our campaign has to be about what we will do to help build our community and our country," Provenzano said. "We do not need to blow out anyone else's candle to show how brightly our's burns."

The candidate said his campaign team will follow the example of the Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

Ignatieff took the high road by not bringing down the government and forcing Canadians into an election most of them didn't want and by not responding to his opponents' smear campaign against him, Provenzano said.

He also said that the support of his family is inseparable from his ability to run.

Family like his niece, Olivia, whom he is seen above.

Two of the issues Provenzano said he's personally concerned about are health care and effective management of Canada's water supply.

He's hoping to add more issues to that list very soon as people approach him with their concerns.

Meanwhile, Provenzano is urging members of the Sault Ste. Marie Federal Liberal Association to be ready to ramp up for an election at any time.

"We don't know how things are going to come to pass, but as Liberals we're going to try and keep the House of Commons going and do things that Canadians need and want," he said.