SOUTH DUNDAS – As part of a continuing series, The Leader is running a weekly question of the week series to help inform readers about the candidates running for the October 21st federal election in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.
All candidates running to be the new Member of Parliament are given the question of the week, and are limited to approximately 225 words for their response.
Only responses received by the deadline given to candidates are published. The Leader has reserved the right to edit responses for journalistic-style and word count. Many of the questions will deal with specific issues in South Dundas, as decided by the editorial staff of the newspaper. Responses are listed by alphabetical order, by last name.
This week, the candidates introduce themselves.
Raheem Aman
Green Party of Canada
My name is Raheem Aman, Member of Parliament Candidate for the Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry Federal Riding. I am 26 years old and am very politically active. This is my second Federal Election. People who get to know me find me to be very genuine, passionate, well-read, and polite. I intend every waking day to be the best man that I can be, representing my family, my values, cultural heritage, and Canada to the utmost extent. I want to be the next Member of Parliament representing Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry for two main reasons: (1) We cannot continue to live like this anymore. It is ecologically unsustainable. Not more than 10 years ago, the paper mill left a gut wrenching smell and even residue on people’s cars every morning. The world at large must push back and shift our ways of living toward a green economy: the Green Party of Canada has a robust, costed plan to usher in. (2) I have a vision that for Canada. I see us once more leaders in the foreign political scene, not as America’s little brother, but rather captains of our own ship. I see that we can lead the world in peacekeeping, environmental science, whether glaciology, climatology, or simply getting ahead of the single-largest economic opportunity of our lifetimes; creating thousands of good-paying jobs through shifting to renewable energy and sustainable industry.
Eric Duncan
Conservative Party of Canada
I am proudly born and raised in Dundas County, and I believe I have the right experience, energy, and ideas to be your Member of Parliament. I am currently employed with our family business, JED Express in South Mountain with my father Ed. JED Express has been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for four consecutive years. For 12 years, I served on Council in North Dundas, first, as a Councillor at age 18, and as Mayor at age 22. I was elected as the youngest Warden of SD&G by my peers and became the first Warden to be elected to a consecutive term in SD&G’s 160+ year history in 2014 & 2015. I chaired the Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus in 2015, which represents nearly 1 million residents in our region. I want to serve our community to help with the cost of living and affordability in Canada. Two-thirds of Canadians feel that they either can’t pay their bills – or feel that they have nothing left over at the end of the month after they do. If you work hard you should be able to buy a home, save for retirement, and care for your children and parents as they age. Our Conservative plan is one that will mean real results for you and your family. It’s time for Canadians to get ahead.
Heather Megill
Liberal Party of Canada
My name is Heather Megill, I am a mother of two adult children. I am a recently retired school teacher with the UCDSB. I spent the last 8 years as a Vice President with the Elementary Teacher Federation of Ontario Upper Canada Local. I am a retired Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve officer who also served with the SDG Highlanders. I was born in British Columbia , raised in St. John’s Nfld and Labrador and I call Cornwall home. I ran as the Provincial Liberal Candidate in SDSG in May and June of 2018 so I have a very good knowledge of the concerns of the residents of our riding. I’ve had the good fortune and opportunity to travel this country, to appreciate its beauty, to meet family and friends from all regions, to recognize that we a blessed like no other country in the world. My values are your values. As a person involved in the community I share our common goal of making sure that we enjoy a quality of life in our workplace, our homes and recreation that we can all be proud of. I am your Liberal candidate in Stormont Dundas and South Glengarry. I believe my past experience has prepared me to represent your interests, to voice your concerns, to get action and generate results for the benefit of us all.
Kelsey Catherine Schmitz
New Democratic Party of Canada
My name is Kelsey Catherine Schmitz. I grew up in Newington and Ingleside and currently live in Cornwall. I have a Ph.D. in Education. I have been a teacher, professor, and program manager. I have worked with remote First Nations and their education programs to help bring Indigenous culture and voices into classroom learning. I spent two years working with teachers in the eastern Arctic, running the Kativik teacher education program. Currently, I am working at Students on Ice Foundation to help northern youth develop leadership and community service projects. As I began to feel more anxious about current affairs, the climate, healthcare and education, I realized that I had to step up and do something. Through my work with at risk youth and Indigenous youth across Canada in rural and urban settings, I have seen first-hand how often we let people fall through the holes in our support systems. We need a government that prioritizes everyday people in Canada. We need to start putting people first. I see my role as Member of Parliament as an act of service, and a role that is not just about attending events or helping a party to grow their track record, but rather one where I spend time with the people of my riding, hearing their concerns and ideas, and advocating for them, and with them, for a better community. That means pushing government to follow through with promises, and working to ensure our communities are represented.
Sabile Trimm
People’s Party of Canada
My name is Sabile Trimm. I have been a research scientist with the pharmaceutical and the petrochemical industries. I am also an organic beef farmer and mother of three children. I have witnessed government waste, inefficiencies and climate issues in my daily life as a scientist and business owner. I want to help Canada on a national level and a local level. The People’s Party of Canada has developed policy that makes sense to me. I am very concerned about the difficulties that many Canadians are facing. Our healthcare system is under strain, our veterans have not been treated fairly, and we have spent too much money on foreign aid while we have domestic problems such as providing clean drinking water for our First Nations communities. I want to help Canadian citizens first.