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Michele Fisher running to represent Liberals in Dufferin-Caledon riding

April 4, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Santos

Michele Fisher, president of the Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands, has entered the race to represent the Liberal party at next October’s federal election.

“I would say the reason I’m running right now, is because I’ve been alarmed at what’s been happening politically, with how people have become so divided, on either side of the spectrum,” the Caledon resident told  the Citizen. “I felt like I needed to do something about it, and not just sit on the sidelines, anymore.”

Ms. Fisher said she comes from a political family. Her mother was a three-term school board trustee and a local councillor, and her father served on a hydro commission, but this is her first time running as a candidate at any level. 

“There are a few issues that I’m particularly passionate about,” Ms. Fisher said. “One is climate change and the environment, and the second is the economy and keeping the momentum going on our economy. Third, and this is more in general, but I would say human rights and freedoms are always a concern for me.

“There are always challenges to human rights and freedoms, and I feel like Canada has a very good record in that regard in the world and we need to keep that up.”

The candidate is a marketing and communications professional with 25 years of experience. She has work extensively with the corporate, governmental and not-for-profit sectors. 

Currently president of the Canadian Federation of University Woman (CFUW) in Orangeville and District, Ms. Fisher helped sponsor and settle a Syrian family with new neighbours, fought to protect water through CAMP (Citizens Against the Melville Pit) and co-founded Writer’s Ink Alton through the Caledon Public Library.

At this time, she and Vic Thapar of Orangeville have announced their candidacies.

Dufferin-Caledon has been represented by Conservative MP David Tilson since the riding was created from Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey in 2004, but Ms. Fisher said it’s possible the riding could go Liberal.

“I think the time is good for a change,” said Ms. Fisher. “We had David Tilson represent us as a Conservative in Ottawa for very many years now. He’s retiring and it opens up the field. I also think the demographics of the riding have been shifting. We have a lot of people who have been moving in from other places, and they bring different points of views.”

She said there is ‘an appetite’ for more progressive policies and for having a very strong voice on Ottawa. 

She said she went door-to-door canvassing her constituents. She he also talked to neighbours and friends. 

“I’ve been asking people what they care about the most, what issues they want to see dealt with, and I have, so far, a very broad spectrum of answers,” said Ms. Fisher. “Everything from affordable housing to climate change. Climate change seems to be the number one concern from the people that I have been speaking with.” 

A nomination meeting to select the newest candidate for the federal liberals has not yet been announced by the Dufferin-Caledon Liberal Riding Association.

In 2015, former Shelburne mayor Ed Crewson represented the party and placed a strong second to Mr. Tilson, with 23,643 votes to the winner’s 27,977.


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