Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A WOMAN AND CAMPAIGN UNPARALLELED

A Woman and Campaign Unparalleled. (by Celine Leduc edited by Norman Simon)

Valerie Assouline is a woman, a wife, a mother, a career woman, a lawyer, a political activist for gender equality, and is the Conservative Party of Canada's candidate for the Pierrefonds/Dollard des Ormeaux Riding. Her dream is to get elected see more women get involved in politics. She is taking the lead to inspire women who have immigrated here, to get involved and make positive changes.

Family values matter, and so do women, as the woman is, most often, the pillar that holds the family together. She has the backing and support of her husband, David Janowski, and the respect of her children. Being Canadian of Moroccan descent and Jewish, she knows all too well the dangers of the kind of politics that can lead to extremism. Her unique perspective based on life experience, academic knowledge, and family history, all of which can help assure the safety of all her constituents. 

Pierrefonds/DDO is a multireligious, multilingual, multiethnic community where people interact with each other at school, and in clubs for the young and old - be they the younger sports person, or the senior. People meet at private and public swimming pools. They worship in synagogues, mosques, churches and temples. Multi-ethnic diversity defines the richness of the area: Canadians of various origins live here; some are older immigrants who came from France, England, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Syria, and Ukraine, some have been here for generations. The new wave of immigrants came from Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, China, India and the Caribbean. They are Jews Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists whether practicing or not. What unites them is where they live, what matters is their family, a strong economy, a safe place to bring up their children, and for the elderly to enjoy their retirement in safety. 

Valerie Assouline has the ability to unite those various components of society and to assure them a peaceful life. Many have known horrors back home and so the need to live in peace and at peace with everyone is of prime importance to them.

Valerie's background and roots make her an ideal candidate, as she knows how selfish politics, and nationalism gone wild, can hurt people. Yet she knows that good, solid policies that are inclusive is the answer.
Valerie Assouline promises to include everyone knowing the danger that excluding or focusing on one group can lead to. We do need laws, and those laws must be respected and enforced with compassion and fairness.

Valerie lives her words of inclusion. For example, the buffet she served at the launch of her campaign showed her sensitivity to both cultural and dietary laws. She had coffee and tea for everyone, and sweets for the morning. At lunch sandwiches were fish or egg, so everyone could eat including religious Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. She even took the time to greet older folks, asking if she could bring them food, and coffee or tea. She included everyone, taking the time to greet everyone with a handshake, but more often with a hug. She was busy. It was her day, but she included everyone, and those are the qualities of a real leader.

She has the respect of her fellow Conservatives, and her volunteers. You can feel the support by the way everyone welcomed her at the official opening of her campaign. Other candidates her supporters and volunteers spontaneously, and in unison, chanted her name, "Val-er-ie!" And as she took the microphone, the voices became louder and more rhythmic. Her face was filled with emotion and humility as she entered. When she spoke, she reinforced her commitment, and made a promise to represent everyone in her riding: a promise she will keep.

Canada is now facing a critical time, one where security is at the forefront due to extremism, radicalization and polarization of people. The threat is both outside of its borders and inside. It is a time when people are asked to make choices, very difficult choices between personal freedom and security. Valerie Assouline is the best choice as she knows through her own family's immigration how radicalization can put people’s lives in danger.

Canadians need to know the importance of safety and everyone must feel safe. Radicalism or extremism can come from within our society, It can be part of hate speech, bad jokes, or cultural biases which point an accusing finger at a person because of their religion, skin tone, ethnicity, sexuality or gender. We need our laws better enforced to make sure that the freedom of everyone is assured. Who better than a lawyer who knows the law and applies it through compassion and sees every person as an individual and not as a group?

Women are waking up to a new reality - that of being leaders. Valerie Valérie Assouline is a leader who will inspire all women from all backgrounds, religions, ethnicities and origins to take a leap in politics to get involved as activists for the rights of all women, children and men.

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