Local Involvement

As a member of your council, I have been a dedicated and effective community leader. Prior to being elected to council in 2010, I had been an active and involved member of both the local agricultural and also the wider rural community for many years. I enjoy the challenge that volunteering with different organizations offers, and have gained a lot of knowledge and met a lot of new people. 

I have been a member of several local community committees that make Oliver Paipoonge a great place to live - the Museum Board, Library Board, Cemetery Board and have represented Council at our volunteer Fire Department Officer's Meetings.

Current Community and Provincial Involvement

Currently I serve as our municipality's representative on the Board of the Thunder Bay District Municipal League - the organization that advocates for municipal issues across Thunder Bay District. Board member since 2010.

Chair of the Lakehead Rural Planning Board. The LRPB administers several different Planning Act functions to the communities west and north of Thunder Bay. I have been an LRPB Board member since 2018.  http://lrpb.ca

Lakehead Source Water Protection Committee - one of 19 across the province that was formed under the Clean Water Act.  Our local mandate (completed) is to develop a Municipal Source Water Protection Plan for the City of Thunder Bay and Oliver Paipoonge. I have been a member of this committee since 2007. http://www.sourceprotection.net

Canadian Lakehead Exhibition Project Pizza – I have been the volunteer coordinator for the dairy display at Project Pizza for the past 26 years.

Thunder Bay Dairy Producers - Committee Member, Secretary/Treasurer, also a local delegate to provincial meetings. This committee is the local arm of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario organization - ten years.

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation - member of the Board of Directors. In 2020 I was appointed to the NOHFC Board and currently serve as Chair of the Governance Committee. http://nohfc.ca

Thunder Bay Cooperative Farm Supplies Board of Directors – eight years.

Past Involvement 

I have served (2010-2016) on the Board of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit which is an organization coordinating and administering public health initiatives across our region. http://tbdhu.com

I was also the co-chair (2012- 2018) of the Thunder Bay Food Strategy, an exciting community driven endeavor that is helping local farmers, food processors, poverty advocates, educators and consumers work more closely together for the benefit of everyone. http://tbfoodstrategy.com

Thunder Bay Soil & Crop Improvement Association, an agricultural organization that facilitates crop research and administers several provincial environmental programs on behalf of the Government of Ontario. I am the past President of our local committee. http://www.ontariosoilcrop.org

Oliver Paipoonge Municipal Property Standards Committee administers our local Property Standards bylaws – member 2002-2010

Thunder Bay Dairy Herd Improvement – local delegate to provincial meetings

Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Association - Board member 2015-2020

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Northwest Partnership Committee - mandated to foster a better working relationship between the Northwestern Ontario agricultural community and the Ministry, I was a member for the duration of the committee, three years.

First Christian Reformed Church – Fellowship Committee Chair, Boys club leader for 4 years.

Thunder Bay Federation of Agriculture Board -  organization representing farmers and advocating for  issues on their  behalf.

I have worked with many different organizations and been part of many meetings over the years, and am very familiar with how governance structures work and challenges that sometimes arise.  My experience both as a member and chair of organizations serves me well as I represent your interests on Oliver Paipoonge Council.