My father’s words have always stayed with me. When I told him I wanted to step into politics, his first response was, “Well, at least you won’t get killed here.” It was a stark reminder of the privilege we hold as Canadians—to participate in democracy without fear of our lives, to debate ideas openly, and to cast our votes freely. My father, an immigrant to this land, is a kind and gentle man who taught me the value of integrity and the courage to be myself. Thank you, Dad.
Our riding is a tapestry of small towns, family farms, Indigenous communities, and breathtaking landscapes. I've paddled the Athabasca, North Saskatchewan, Red Deer, and Bow rivers, and cherish this land that we share together. But my connection to Yellowhead isn’t just about the land—it’s about the people who make this place thrive and the shared belief that we can build something better together. That’s why I co-founded Farm Box, a local food business that grew from zero to $1.2 million in sales, connecting farmers in Alberta and B.C. with families in the Bow Valley. We built a model that proved you can pay farmers fairly, treat employees with respect, and protect the environment—all while running a sustainable business.
My work in food systems taught me that real change starts by caring for our communities. Drawing on my experience founding several nonprofits and a deep belief in collective care, I launched a volunteer-run hot lunch program at my kids’ school. This program does more than fill plates—it serves culturally meaningful, locally sourced meals while weaving in food education, showing students how their choices connect to farmers, land, and tradition. Every child deserves access to healthy food at school; it’s how we nurture lifelong healthy habits and a stronger community.
I put my name forward to be the NDP candidate for Yellowhead because I believe government should play a role in building the foundations of an equitable and sustainable society—one rooted in compassion, accountability and transparency. I believe in collective governance, where decisions are made with people, not for them.
As I’ve traveled this beautiful riding, I’ve been inspired and moved by the stories I’ve heard: families coming together to support local businesses, volunteers stepping up to feed their neighbors, and young people dreaming of a future where they can thrive right here at home.
Democracy isn’t inherited—it’s built. As Ali Velshi writes in Small Acts of Courage, citizenship requires practice. Laws alone won’t protect us; only we can. Every vote, every conversation, every knock on a door bends the “arc of history” toward justice. My kids, like yours, deserve an inheritance of hope: a world where equality, sustainability, and compassion aren’t ideals, but realities.
This election is our chance to rewrite the narrative. To prove that caring for one another and managing budgets wisely aren’t opposites—they’re the foundation of good governance.
Let’s write our own history. Let’s be the first federal rural Alberta riding to go orange.
