Tell us about yourself
I have deep expertise in international trade and foreign relations and a strong track record of delivering real results for our community. In 2019, I became the second Green MP elected to Parliament. I fought effectively for trade policies that protect Canadian jobs, consumer standards, and our environment. I pushed to improve long-term care, protect pensions, and preserve old-growth forests. Collaborating across party lines, I secured better support for people with disabilities.
For two and a half years, I served as Executive Director of the Nanaimo Unitarian Shelter and currently serve as a city councillor, consistently advocating for affordable housing, quality healthcare, and meaningful climate action. Recently, I received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of my contributions to our community. I’ve stood up for you before—during these uncertain times, you can trust I’ll keep fighting for our community’s stability, security, and well-being.
What do you think is the most important issue for the area and why?
The rising cost of living—especially housing—is the top issue in Nanaimo–Ladysmith. Housing costs are overwhelming for families, seniors, and young people. When housing eats up half your income, your health, security, and future suffer. I’ll push hard for significant federal investment in permanently affordable co-op and non-market housing, built for people—not profits.
We also need to protect local jobs and supply chains from aggressive U.S. trade moves and tariff threats. The Green Party has a clear plan to build strategic reserves of essential resources and create a National Civil Defense Corps to ensure our community is prepared for economic shocks, climate emergencies, and future crises.
These are the practical, forward-looking solutions Nanaimo–Ladysmith needs, and I’ll keep fighting to make them happen.
What are you hearing when door-knocking?
I’m hearing real anxiety over rising costs. People are worried about the cost of living, housing, and the rising influence of Trump’s tariffs on our economy and of his political style on our politics. I hear it every day: groceries, rent, childcare, it’s all getting harder to afford, and folks understandably feel like nobody in Ottawa is listening.
Housing is a top issue. Seniors, students, families—everyone is feeling squeezed. Health care comes up often too. People can’t find a doctor, clinics are overwhelmed, and our hospital is under massive pressure.
Voters want someone who gets it, and who can actually win. A lot of progressives are saying: “Let’s not split the vote this time.” They want real leadership that puts our community first. I’m the only progressive with the local support, track record, and team to stop Poilievre’s Conservatives here. That’s why Cooperate for Canada endorsed me—and why so many progressives are uniting behind my campaign.
What is your position on tariffs and the trade war?
U.S. tariffs are hurting our economy, costing jobs, and driving up prices. We need strong, strategic action—not weak reactions or empty rhetoric. I would push for targeted export tariffs on key resources the U.S. relies on, like potash, aluminum, and electricity. At the same time, I’d advocate for creating strategic reserves of raw resources to protect Canadian jobs and industries.
We should stop sending raw logs south and buying back finished lumber at premium prices. That drains wealth from our communities when we could create good-paying local jobs by processing these logs here at home. Our resources are valuable, exporting them raw makes no sense, especially now.
In Parliament, I fought effectively to strengthen CUSMA, ensuring better protections for Canadian workers, consumer standards, and our environment. I’ll keep pushing for better trade policies that put Canadians first.
What are potential solutions to housing affordability and homelessness?
Hardworking people simply can’t afford homes anymore. Years of funding cuts and tax breaks for the rich created this crisis. We need to restore the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to its original purpose—directly building affordable homes that stay affordable, ensuring no one pays more than 30% of their income on housing. The Green Party has an ambitious, yet practical, plan to build over one million permanently affordable homes: co-ops, non-market, and supportive housing, made with Canadian materials and built by Canadian workers.
I’d strongly advocate for measures to stop real estate investment trusts and corporate landlords from treating homes like stocks, returning housing to its real purpose—stable homes for Canadian families.
As a city councillor and MP, I’ve consistently fought for bold, practical solutions and pushed governments to act with greater ambition and urgency. That’s the kind of action our community deserves.
What would you do about cost-of-living pressures in your riding?
People are being hammered by rising costs—rent, groceries, energy bills—everything keeps getting more expensive. The Green Party’s plan directly tackles this crisis. We’d eliminate federal income tax on the first $40,000 earned, putting money back into working Canadians’ pockets. Those dollars stay local, supporting our communities and small businesses.
We’d also tax extreme wealth, close corporate loopholes, and restore corporate taxes to pre-Harper levels. That means more funding for healthcare, housing, and education without squeezing ordinary people.
Other parties offer weak solutions and timid half-measures. We need bold investments in renewable energy projects, home retrofits, and public transit upgrades—creating good local jobs, cutting energy bills, and making life more affordable.
I’ve always stood up for fairness and will keep pushing for policies that provide real stability and security—because that’s what our communities, and all Canadians, deserve.
