Why I’m Running for Lethbridge City Council

My Dad passed away in early 2017. In the weeks before, I would spend the afternoons with him, so my Mom could get some rest. I’d wheel him around St. Mike’s and we would talk, stop to play a few games of shuffleboard, maybe work on a puzzle, and then we’d go back to his room to talk some more until he fell asleep or supper came. He knew from our conversations that I was considering a run for City Council.

He asked me one day: “You want to run?” I told him I did.

He said, “It’s going to be hard. You’ll probably make people mad.” I told him I knew that. That I’d already been called confrontational and difficult to work with by some elected officials and senior-level administration at the City. That I’d been told I needed to learn to be quiet because of my stand on recycling and something called Extended Producer Responsibility. That I believed we could do things better, and I spoke up about it. But I also told him that I believed in this city, what we had to offer, and the amazing things we could accomplish if we worked together. If we listened to each other.

He said: “Well, I guess you better run then.”

And here I am.

I’m running for Lethbridge City Council because I believe in this city we all call home, and I can see the bright future we have when our people, our services, our businesses, and our community are all healthy and working together.

For 10 years as the owner, publisher, and editor of Lethbridge living magazine, I had the privilege of sharing the stories and accomplishments of this community – to our local community as well as to provincial and national groups.

I’ve had the honour of representing our city while serving on and working with organizations such as the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Lethbridge, the City of Lethbridge Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, Magazines Canada, Covenant Health, Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge, and a variety of BILD Lethbridge committees. (Learn more about my skills and experience in the About section of my website.)

I’ve seen what our local organizations can accomplish when we come together in initiatives such as Team Lethbridge.

When we work together, we can achieve amazing things.

I passionately advocate for and represent our city and the rest of Southern Alberta. I’ve worked for publicly funded organizations and owned my own business. I have a proven track record of letting provincial and federal representatives know that there is a mid-sized city south of Calgary that is a substantial regional hub in this province with a lot going on, and that people need to pay attention.

I want to see this city grow into the amazing place it can be.

My ability to build, bridge, and balance different perspectives – to connect the economic with the social, to balance business needs with social spending – means that I am well-positioned to have the difficult conversations we’re going to need to have around level of service and fiscal management. My experience means I have a unique skill set that enables me to consider different perspectives, to anticipate unintended consequences, and to make balanced decisions. I can step back and evaluate each issue in the context of community needs.

What does this mean for you?

Vote for me to be your voice on Lethbridge City Council, and to be your elected representative of the City of Lethbridge. I won’t claim to have all the answers, but I will represent you and our city, and I will ask questions because I’m not afraid to learn.

I also want to hear from you. I want to know what services you use, and where you think things could change to be more efficient relative to those services.

I believe in an exchange of information and building relationships. If there is something in my campaign you would like to provide feedback on, or talk about, I welcome the opportunity to hear from you.

It’s going to be hard. I’m probably going to make some people mad. But I’m committed to doing my best for our city and the people who live here.