BY: BILL MORNEAU, MINISTER OF FINANCE

When we formed the government the Prime Minister and I were determined to put the politics of division behind us and bring the country together. We did that by celebrating what we have in common, by showing that we are all regular, hard working middle class Canadians who have everyday foibles like leaving your cellphone at home or forgetting to disclose the holding company for your villa in France.

All our lives are so busy and there are so many things to keep track of. I mean, one time I booked flights for the family to our summer retreat in the Virgin Islands only to remember that we were having gym extension added and the place was a construction zone. We had to fly to our ski chalet in St Moritz instead. What a fuss!

Emerging from Holt Renfrew and trying to recall where you parked the Bentley is the same for you as it is for me. How my wife has had the butler scold me for that!

Not even the best of us is immune to this. Recently the Prime Minister forgot the name of one of his children, as well as his promises on electoral reform and the fair treatment of indigenous peoples.

So we should all forgive ourselves for being human and forgetting things once in a while.

Just don’t forget to declare everything at tax time, or I’ll set the hounds on you.