Ottawa and Our Community

A Call for Grassroots Leadership in Waterloo

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I grew up in Ottawa, where the House of Commons felt like local news. Seeing your MP was a regular occurrence, and the federal government was just a part of our community.

 

When I moved to Waterloo to attend university in 1993, I noticed a greater separation between our elected officials at the federal level and the people who live here. In the 32 years since then, I have seen that this separation has gotten worse. We ask elected representatives to go to Ottawa to make decisions for us. I believe a strong connection between our communities and our elected leaders is critically important for building credibility and accountability into that system.

 

Having studied Physics, I’ve spent much of my career successfully immersed in Waterloo’s unique tech sector. It wasn’t until I began volunteering that I saw the real struggles members of our community face. I could see the real impact that we can have on the enormous and intersecting social crises around us. Seeing people going through dramatic changes in their social reality, I realized I could translate my technical problem-solving into real action. I can use my understanding of community bonds and the importance of community to counter isolation and exclusion.

 

I’ve now spent years advocating and facilitating resources for those who are part of our marginalized communities. I’ve seen first-hand how homelessness and food insecurity impact the people easily forgotten about. More importantly,  I see how it’s our own diverse community organizations that can help them transition to a place of security and peace.

 

Elected officials are in a unique position to define their role, and can easily choose to separate themselves from the people who need them. As the Green Party candidate for Waterloo, I am passionate about leading through communication and relationship-building. I will define my role by listening every day to the people of Waterloo. Whether it’s concerns about affordable housing, the impacts of climate change, or the ever-changing security of our global economy, I will choose to work harder and drive for federal policy that will support your concerns.

 

What you have to say matters, now more than ever.