Beyond Politics Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge was born and raised in the mining community of Thompson, Man. One of three boys, Rod is of mixed heritage. His mother was aboriginal and his father was Dutch. From an early age, Rod was involved in student politics. Barely 20 years old, he travelled to Ottawa as one of Kim Campbell’s delegates for the 1993 Progressive Conservative leadership convention. It wasn't until 2002 that Rod put his own name forward in an election, but he lost the provincial nomination. Two years later, Rod ran federally and again he came up short. In 2006 Rod's luck changed and he became the MP for Winnipeg South. A graduate in political science from the University of Manitoba, Rod ran a small business in Winnipeg, where he met his future wife, Chantal. The father of two children talks to Catherine Clark about his life Beyond Politics.