With over 20 years experience as a family lawyer, i am highly skilled in complex problem-solving and decision-making which puts the best interests of children first.  

Throughout my career, I have been actively involved in public legal education and advocacy for law reform, particularly in relation to gender-based violence.

Throughout my 10 years as a parent in SD71, I have been an active and effective parent volunteer and public education advocate. I have:

·      Served on my children’s Parent Advisory Councils (PAC). At Ecole Puntledge Park, I organized movie nights and other events, was PAC Treasurer (2013 to 2017), and the school’s representative to the District PAC (DPAC) (2017 to 2019). At Mark R. Isfeld Secondary, I have also been the DPAC representative (2017 to 2022)

·      Spoken out against the proposed closure of Ecole Puntledge Park (2016)

·      Successfully advocated for age-appropriate consent education and sexual health education for all SD71 students (K-12) as well as to include sexual health education as a priority in its 4 year strategic plan.

·      Represented the District PAC on a district-wide committee which revamped SD71’s Anti-Discrimination Policy (2021)

·      Successfully advocated for district committee to address gender-based violence among students (2022)

I have advocated for similar initiatives at the provincial level as well as for increased funding for BC schools. I have written and presented submissions to the province’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022) as well as the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) (2019, 2021 & 2022).  In April 2022, I presented four resolutions to BCCPAC to address gender-based violence among students, which resolutions received 94-99% approval from PACs and DPACs across the province.

For more information about the advocacy I have done, see:

“Comox Valley parents leading BC schools toward expanded sexual health education”, by George Le Masurie (Decafnation; June 23, 2019) https://decafnation.net/2019/06/23/comox-valley-parents-leading-bc-schools-toward-expanded-sexual-health-education/

“Comox Valley school board to set up gender-violence committee”, by Mike Chouinard (Comox Valley Record; June 24, 2022) https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/comox-valley-school-board-to-set-up-gender-violence-committee/

SD71 DPAC request for gender-based violence & misconduct reform: https://www.dropbox.com/s/abcwawb44h6joug/DPAC%20SHC%20-%20Request%20for%20Gender%20Based%20Violence%20%26%20Misconduct%20Reform.mp4?dl=0

“B.C. students, parents call for better public school education about consent and sexual violence,” by Bridgette Watson (CBC; April 13, 2022: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/concerns-consent-education1.6416185?fbclid=IwAR0qcGICphaIAg5t57kotCXuKubhcbL7WLMXHE9A17IH6TsMKkNTqTkKXEE

“B.C. parent associations vote ‘overwhelmingly’ for sexual violence reform in schools,” by Kori Sidaway (CHEK News; May 4, 2022): https://www.cheknews.ca/b-c-parent-associatiob-c-parent-associations-vote-overwhelmingly-for-sexual-violence-reform-in-schools-minister-non-committalns-vote-overwhelmingly-for-sexual-violence-reform-in-schools-ministry-1023360/

“Comox Valley parents push province on sexual assault, harassment,” by Mike Chouinard (Comox Valley Record; May 10, 2022): https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/local-parents-push-province-on-sexual-assault-harassment/

“A group of Comox Valley parents want the province to change education around sexual violence in schools,” CBC’s On the Island with Gregor Craigie (April 13, 2022): https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-48-on-the-island/clip/15906614-a-group-comox-valley-parents-province-change-education?onboarding=false

“Changes could be coming to B.C. schools sexual education curriculum, after Ecole Puntledge Park Push,” by Jon Gauthier (My Comox Valley Now; May 18, 2019) : https://www.mycomoxvalleynow.com/54729/news/changes-could-be-coming-to-b-c-schools-sexual-education-curriculum-after-ecole-puntledge-park-push/

2022 BCCPAC resolutions: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fpxiligrzioni1j/BCCPAC%20-%20Resolutions%202022%20-%20x4.pdf?dl=0

Since moving to the Comox Valley in 2012, I have also provided free consultation services to the Comox Valley Transition Society and made presentations about family law through the Comox Valley Transition Society, the Comox Valley Community Justice Centre, the Comox Valley Military Family Resource Centre, Legal Services Society of BC and the Trial Lawyers’ Association of BC (TLABC).  I am also co-chair of the Comox Valley Bar Association. 

I also volunteer in collaboration with Pro Bono Students Canada and law students at UBC, UVIC and TRU as the supervising lawyer for law student presentations to high school students about the law of consent.

I am also co-chair of the TLABC’s Family Law Committee and the senior section editor for JP Boyd on Family Law, a key on-line family law resource that is written in plain language and provides practical, in-depth coverage of family law and divorce law in British Columbia: https://wiki.clicklaw.bc.ca/index.php/JP_Boyd_on_Family_Law

I am running for Courtenay School Trustee to advance the following:

-         Greater community collaboration about children and youth in the Comox Valley, including: community-wide conversations about the health and wellness of our children and youth; increased communication and collaboration with local governments; and improved communication, transparency and partnerships with parents

-         Bolder district leadership and accountability in relation to: climate change; truth and reconciliation; consent education & gender-based violence reform; inclusivity for LGBTQ+ youth; and closing the pandemic learning gap.