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I have been a passionate, enthusiastic, and tireless advocate for communities I have served in the past and want to bring the same energy to representing the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore.
I was born in Port Hope. I have been Deaf since birth and spent most of my young life in residential schools for the Deaf, in Belleville, Milton, and Philadelphia. It was at school that I met friends from all across Ontario. Having had the chance to visit them over the years has helped me get to know our great province from Quebec to Manitoba, from the Great Lakes to Hudson’s Bay.
In my adult life I have been a leading volunteer in the disability community and have served in executive roles with almost every Deaf organization in the province: as President and Vice President of the Ontario Association of the Deaf, President of the Ontario Deaf Sports Association, and Vice President and Treasurer of the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf. In advocating for Ontarians with disabilities I’ve consulted with governments and the private sector on a wide range of issues, from policing and the correctional system to telecommunications.
I have been politically engaged beyond the Deaf community as well. I am a member of the Executive Committee and President for the provincial Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding association. I was a delegate in the Liberal leadership convention in January 2013 (click here for my story). And I am currently serving on Ontario’s Accessibility Standards Advisory Council /Standards Development Committee.
I’ve been interviewed for local and national newspapers as well as for television and was recently featured on TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin.
Sports is another passion. I have been the coach of a Deaf Olympic team and have volunteered three times on security for the Canadian Open golf championship (click here for my story).
I have lived in Etobicoke-Lakeshore for 10 years with my wife, who is also a not-for-profit executive. I have two adult children, of whom I am very proud. My son works in Toronto’s financial sector and my daughter is studying to be a paramedic.
As a Deaf person, I think I have some appreciation of the experience of minorities in our society, or people who are too often under-represented. While serving all constituents, I would take extra care to ensure that those who may have been overlooked in the past are well represented. As a resident of the riding, I share the dreams and aspirations of my neighbours that Etobicoke-Lakeshore will continue to evolve as a safe, friendly, accessible, dynamic, diverse, and prosperous community for us all.
