I have lived and raised my children in Ottawa West-Nepean for almost 30 years and am very confident that I can represent this wonderful community. Although now retired from being a full-time music teacher with the OCDSB, I continue to be involved with the school board as a mentor to new teachers and as a supply teacher. I also teach privately and compose music. I am an avid hiker (having summitted Kilimanjaro last year), cyclist and boxer.

Throughout the course of my career, I have worked with many vulnerable families to access services they need simply to survive. The number of those families has only risen throughout the course of my career. Just witnessing the growing demand on local food pantries, for example, highlights the daily struggle more and more people are experiencing. This is one of many factors that motivated me to compete for the NDP nomination.

Here are a few other reasons I decided to run:

1. I grew up in a staunch NDP household and am very passionate about the ideals and values on which the party is built.

2. It is something that I have always been interested in pursuing but I have not had the opportunity to devote the necessary time and energy to it until now- I am no longer working full time and my kids are grown and out on their own.

3. There is no other party that looks out for those vulnerable and/or marginalized members of our community and resources are being taken away from them now more than ever. We need to fight not only to reinstate important programs that have been cut but also to develop additional supports. I will whole-heartedly take on this fight.

4. Now more than ever I feel it is crucial for the NDP to make its way to the front of the line. Many Canadians are very disillusioned with the current government and the right-wing alternative is so extreme and divisive, I feel the NDP is the only party that can move the country forward in a positive way for all Canadians. I will work tirelessly to convince voters of this fact.