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Perhaps more importantly, however, McMahon says her key to success was her approach. Cycling advocacy has a long history of protest — think of the last 30 years of critical mass rides — but she argues her co-operative approach is what was ultimately productive.

“There’s a line of thinking that you have to make life difficult (for politicians). You have to punch them in the eye and poke them in the nose to get anything done,” she said. “I never thought that was the case.”

Instead, she argued in favour of cycling in a non-partisan, non-ideological way, based on evidence and data. She prided herself on ensuring her group was well-funded, organized, professional and convincing.

“Governments don’t design bandwagons, they get on them,” she says. “Sophisticated organizations go to governments and say ‘You should get on this bandwagon.’ ”

In the wake of Ford’s controversial comments, for example, McMahon says she collected accurate polling data showing wide acceptance of cycling among Ontarians. From there, her conciliatory approach was easier to swallow, especially compared to Ford’s attempt to “polarize the debate.”

McMahon can sprout off all the benefits of cycling in one long breath (she mentioned to me, in one sentence, health, congestion, commute times, safety and improved cities) but she thinks the debate about the benefits of cycling is pretty much won. She feels every political party in Ontario is now on board.

That may sounds like wishful thinking, but considering McMahon is now working in the divisive world of provincial politics — she’s a Liberal in Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynn’s government representing Burlington — perhaps it’s just her co-operative instincts showing.

So far, those instincts seem to be working.

Drop me a line on Twitter at Twitter.com/TomBabin, on Facebook at Facebook.com/tom.babin, or by e-mail at tbabin@calgaryherald.com.

Check out my book Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling.