Barbara Manson
In our ongoing effort to spotlight the experiences of women in municipal politics, we reached out to those elected in the 2022 municipal elections in Northern Ontario. We asked these newly elected councillors and trustees to share their insights and reflections on the transition from candidate to council. Here are their candid and firsthand accounts of the challenges, surprises, and lessons learned along the way.
Barbara Manson is a councillor in Kenora.
What initially inspired or motivated you to run for council, and how did you envision your role before being elected?
I was motivated and inspired as I did not like the direction Kenora was headed. I envisioned a productive and get-things-done attitude.
How did your expectations or perceptions change once you took office?
Frustration following the governance model and the slowness of government actions.
Were there any surprises or unexpected aspects of the role?
The diversity of council—both a good and bad aspect. The time it takes to accomplish goals. The lack of proper funding from the provincial and federal government in regard to infrastructure projects ([for example, bridges — which were downloaded to the Municipality) and policing costs in Kenora.
What were the biggest challenges you faced when transitioning from a candidate to an elected official?
Finding the time to attend all meetings, being prepared and trying to find solutions.
What do you wish people knew about running for office, based on your own experience?
Time commitment is huge. Know how to research and defend your decisions within a diversified group of peers.
Looking back at your first year in office, what were the most rewarding aspects of serving in your municipal role?
Bringing in a budget our taxpayers could swallow, seeing the growth in housing [and] starting to solve our community and safety well-being issues.
What were the significant milestones or accomplishments you achieved during your tenure?
Hiring a Community & Safety Well-being Supervisor [and] lobbying the Provincial government to help with policing costs (which they did 2 years in a row).
On the flip side, what were the challenges you faced during your first year, and how did you navigate or address them?
Changing the mandate of our police force to more “walking the beat” hours. ([which is] still a work in progress). Starting to find solutions regarding our social issues—community formed and working on a 5-year plan.
Were there specific instances or experiences that significantly impacted your approach to governance or leadership?
Coming prepared to Council meetings, [and] rephrasing how to bring your ideas forward in regards to the personalities on Council.
What valuable lessons have you learned or insights gained that you'd like to share with others considering a similar path in politics?
Be prepared and be prepared to defend your decisions.
What do you wish people knew about working as a politician, based on your experience?
It’s harder than it seems. It is more time-consuming than you can imagine. Solutions sometimes take time, longer than you would like [and] not everyone thinks the way you do.
Where can people find you?
Leslie (she/her) is excited to be running for City Council in Ward 9. She is a lifelong Sudburian: educated in Greater Sudbury, she also raised her family in the city and was employed in public service for over 30 years. She comes from a family of entrepreneurs who have always been immersed in business and keen to help Sudbury grow in the right direction. She is a tireless advocate working in the field of Social Services and is presently a Patient & Family Advisor at Health Sciences North and the Chair of the Northern Initiative for Social Action (a Peer Lead Organization of persons with lived experience of mental health challenges/mental illness). The Northern Initiative for Social Action is member-driven and offers meaningful and useful programs, and believes in active recovery rather than passive dependence on community services.
Marie (she/her) was first elected and began her journey as a trustee in 2018. Her background and experience in community leadership and engagement lend themselves to an understanding of the importance of advocacy and governance. The past four years have provided her with a better understanding of the framework in education at the local, district and provincial levels.
Leah (she/her) retired two years ago after 33 years in education. She has worked for Lakehead Public Schools, three regional school boards, and the Ministry of Education in various roles, including teacher, principal, superintendent, Student Achievement Officer, and Thunder Bay regional manager for Field Services. Many of these roles allowed her to work with different staff and students across Northwestern Ontario. Those work opportunities provided Leah with not only a local perspective but a regional and provincial one. As a Trustee, she believes she can bring that breadth of knowledge as the elected board of trustees participates in making decisions that would benefit all schools and their communities. She remains committed to quality education and would love the opportunity to be a voice of education experience for the community at the trustee table.
Angela (she/her) is a serial entrepreneur and community hype woman. In 2019, she was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Northern Ontario Business. In 2020 when the pandemic struck, she chaired an initiative to bring lunches to children in geared-to-income housing and was awarded by TD Canada Trust for doing so. Angela was recognized as 1 of 6 recipients across North America for the TD “Thank You” program for her commitment to her community. Her business, The Breakfast Pig, has been awarded and written about across Canada.
Julie Ann (she/her) is a parent of 3 children attending schools within the NNDSB. Her background is in the arts, as a musician and writer. She has been running a business in West Nipissing for over ten years and sits on a few volunteer committees in her small community of Field. She believes that strong and progressive communities begin with a strong and progressive public education system.
Marilyn (she/her) is a widow, retired nurse, and licensed real estate agent. She has been on many committees over the years. She simply wants to help the people of Thunder Bay.
Born in Sudbury and raised in Blind River, Natalie has spent most of her adult life living in various small communities across northern Ontario, making a difference and enhancing the quality of life in those communities by giving her time, talents, and leadership over the last 28 years. She is the proud mother of two young adult sons who live in Greater Sudbury and is the Assistant Manager at a non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life for Older Adults ages 50 or better! Natalie's extensive resume includes diverse experience working for two municipalities, the public, private and non-profit sectors and as an entrepreneur. She has chaired and contributed as a Board Member for over two decades in various sectors. She has volunteered for countless organizations and spearheaded many successful grassroots community projects. She was also elected and served on Municipal Council in Manitouwadge from 2010-2014. Growing up in Blind River, her parents taught her that being of service to others is one of the best things you can do to improve your community. They made it clear to Natalie through their actions and encouraged her to seek opportunities, saying, “If something needs to be done, you can’t wait for others to do it. It all starts with you!” Since relocating to Capreol from northwestern Ontario in 2014, she’s known for Coordinating the Capreol Santa Claus Parade and recently taking the reins in bringing Capreol Days back for everyone to enjoy, which was a tremendous success.
Stacy is a mom of 3 children who is currently working for the Office of Graduate Studies at Laurentian University. She also holds the office of the Dean of Residence at Thorneloe University. Stacy is also passionate about her community and has sat as an Executive Member for the Ward 10 Community Action Network and a founding member of the Ward 1 Kingsmount/Bell Park CAN. She served as President of the Greater Sudbury Kinette Club, sat as a member of the Conseil d'éducation catholique at École St. Denis, volunteered with Sole Hope, and served as Vice-President for the United Nations Association of Canada - Sudbury Chapter.
Kelly Fettes aims to offer the fresh perspective of a community-minded parent with a goal to advocate for students actively and prepare them to thrive and grow. Her perspective is important in the quest to improve the school experience, making it work for all students, parents, teachers, and partners alike. Kelly has served on a number of volunteer boards, including Little Lions Waldorf Daycare, Leadership Thunder Bay, and most recently, the Thunder Bay Country Market. These commitments have included executive designations (President & Vice-President) and Director at large. She is an active volunteer who strives to improve this community, donating her time to several community initiatives. Currently, Kelly is employed as an Administrative Officer at Lakehead University, where she utilizes her superior skills in staff, client and stakeholder relationships and provides her expertise in administrative procedures and protocols.
Justine Mallah has over eight years of experience in community outreach, political engagement, and health promotion. Justine works in mental health and is the chair of the Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee of Nipissing, co-chair of the Gambling Harm Reduction Partnership of Nipissing and Parry Sound, and a member of North Bay’s Terry Fox Run Planning Committee. Justine is a dedicated supporter of the arts and has facilitated workshops for Art Fix and redeveloped the Gateway Theatre Guild’s website. Before moving to North Bay, Justine managed a charitable organization called Meagan’s Hug, which has raised over $5 million for research into childhood brain tumours. Justine has a Master of Arts degree in Communication and a Graduate Diploma in Health: Science, Technology, and Policy from Carleton University. After her schooling, Justine completed a course in Spain focusing on community development under Dr. Bengt Lindstrom, a leading researcher in the field. In this course, Justine gained tools to help cities identify what is really working (the strengths) and to build, promote, and maximize these strengths to create more community.
Ellen has spent her entire career in education, beginning as an elementary teacher and then continuing in the classroom and special education. She was the president of the local Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and an ETFO Provincial Executive Member. She advocated locally, provincially, and nationally for LGBTTQI+ students’ rights and safety. Ellen was on the Project Advisory Panel for the Egale First National Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools. She is co-chair of Diversity Thunder Bay (DTB), chair of DTB Education Committee, volunteer for Birds Canada, and a founding member and past co-chair of Thunder Pride. She is the recipient of the ETFO provincial Humanitarian Award, the ETFO President’s Award, the Thunder Bay Mayor’s Hero Award and the Thunder Pride Visionary Award. Her passion is education and children. Her love is her family and friends (and dogs and nature). She pledges to help whenever she can.
Yuk-Sem Won is a Labour Law litigator, Part-Time Faculty Member at Confederation College specializing in Business, and has a background in Education. She has raised her family, established her career and has over 30 years of volunteering and governance experience, including the Thunder Bay District Labour Council, TBay Business Women’s Network, Accueil francophone, TBay Chinese Canadian Association, and the Orange Abinoojiinh Movement for Residential School Survivors. She has never been able to ‘just wait’ for change to happen but chooses to invest time and energy to be a part of the change she wants to see. This is the foundation of her community leadership and interest in politics. As Neebing Ward Councillor, she wants to bring her experience, knowledge, and advocacy skills to city council. She appreciates the non-partisan structure of municipal politics, focusing on collaboration and respectful advocacy for the needs of the people, economic development and the community's well-being.
Lisa Vezeau-Allen grew up in Sault Ste. Marie. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurentian University in 1991 and attained a Not-for-Profit Management postgraduate degree in 2006 from St. Clair College. Her work experience is varied: she instructed in Communications at both St. Clair College and Sault College, supported the Big Brothers Association of Sault Ste Marie in a fundraising role, as well as led organizations in a Director capacity (including Sault Youth Association and the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie). She was Director of Development for the YMCA of Boulder County in Colorado. She was elected to City Council in 2018 and is involved in various committees and boards in her capacity as Councilor, including; SSM Police Services Board, Downtown Association, Finance Committee, Social Equity Committee, Accessibility Committee and others. In the latter part of 2019, she founded and is Board President of Grocer 4 Good Ability Development Program, a social enterprise committed to programming and paid employment for persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, other intellectual disabilities and those facing other employment barriers. Lisa joined her first Board of Directors at 18 and has over 25 years of experience in the Not-for-Profit sector. She believes in community, the joy of giving back and the strength of collaborations.
Johanne has lived in North Bay for 60 years. She was raised by blue-collar parents who instilled strong work ethics, integrity, commitment and reliability. She has devoted over 50 years of community volunteerism, including 23 years of board experience. She had a 37-year career in the sewing industry as a patternmaker, business owner and national sewing educator. Since retiring in 2014, she has had the pleasure of serving on city council 2018-present. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, spending time with family, and taking advantage of all that North Bay offers.
Annelise Iacoe has been married Rico for over 41 years. She is a mother to two daughters named Annetta and Emilie. She is blessed with three grandchildren (Drew, Abby and Presley). She has been an educator for over 42 years. She retired as an elementary school principal seven years ago, but she continues to teach literacy to children in both English and French.
Tammy was raised in the beautiful community of Elliot Lake. She was a part of the first pride committee formed in Elliot Lake. She has a background in finance and management. She holds a first-level management degree from the Retail Council of Canada.
Before retiring, Donica worked in education for 33 years in various roles; teacher, Vice Principal, Principal, Supervising Principal, and Special Education Officer. Her first years were spent working in outlying communities; the remainder were with Lakehead Public Schools. The experience in outlying communities supported her in developing an understanding of the educational needs of the Indigenous People. She has been part of many committees, for example, the Early Childhood Education Committee at Confederation College, a member of the Board Of Directors at Communities Together for Children and the Lakehead University Achievement Program Committee. She has two children who went through the Lakehead Public School System and Lakehead University and are now contributing to the healthcare workforce in Thunder Bay. Donica believes that with her diverse background in Education, she can be a strong voice for the community.
Evelyn has extensive and diverse experience in municipal government. She sat on three municipal governments from 2006 to 2018, with three mayors. She also sat on Rayside Balfour Council, from 1989 to 1994. She was a high school teacher for 33 years. As a councillor, she worked with groups and individuals to meet goals. Some of her successes as a council member are Villa St. Gabriel, the Therapeutic/Leisure Pool in Azilda, the 4-laning of MR 35, the Revitalization of the Donovan, and Park improvements in the Ward. Since 2018, she has been working with Abbeyfield Canada to provide affordable housing for older adults. She is also the Co-Chair of the Compassionate City.
Tracey (she/her/elle) has won numerous leadership awards, has taken many leadership courses, and has been asked to speak for Leadership Thunder Bay. She has lived experience along with years of volunteer work throughout the community. She co-founded a women’s hand drum group years ago which is still going strong — so much so that recently, the group was asked to open for a live event in the city this past summer. She is a mother, grandmother, friend, ally, advocate & candidate. She has also run in federal and provincial elections.
Sheryl has served 2 terms as Sault North and Prince Township's Algoma District School Board Trustee. She is seeking re-election for a third term. She has been incredibly grateful and considers it a privilege to represent her community's voice around the ADSB table and Northern Ontario's voice around the Provincial Tables for 4 years. She served 2 years as the Northern Region Chair at the Ontario Public School Board Association, advocating for Education Priorities in the North. She works full-time at Metis Nation of Ontario as an Education Support Advocate. She graduated from Algoma University with a degree in Community Development and a Certificate in Social Welfare. Public Education is her absolute passion.
Maggie Horsfield has lived in North Bay her entire life. She is solution-driven and will bring her energy to City Hall to work with and for constituents as a City Council representative. In 2020, she was awarded the Young Professional of the Year award. She is a dedicated community member, volunteering her time on Boards of Directors with the Near North Crime Stoppers and the Lindsay Weld Centre for Children. For several years, she was a St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog Handler with her dog, Nixon. She has served on the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and chaired the Young Professionals Committee.
Born and raised in Fort Frances, Wendy (she/her) is a three-term Councillor. She is a retired Human Resources professional with a finance and administration background. She has 8 years of experience on various boards and committees in the community, as well as on the Northwestern Health Unit Board of Health and the Northern Ontario Municipal Association Board. It has been Wendy’s pleasure to serve her community and she looks forward to another term that will see her community transition from a mill town to a thriving and growing place where families enjoy the great northwestern lifestyle.
As a resident of Ward 9, Deb has served in the community for the past 8 years. During that time, she chaired the Planning, Operations and Audit Committees of council, and was the Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee. She sat on the Greater Sudbury Economic Development Board, the Nickel District Conservation Authority and the Solid Waste, Public Art, Sustainable Mobility, Newcomer and Watershed Advisory Panels. During this past term of Council, she served on the Board of Directors of the Association for the Municipalities of Ontario and the Ontario Municipal Water Association. Her educational background is in accounting, and her work before being elected was as the Executive Director of Rainbow Routes Association and the Sudbury Food Bank. She is a recipient of a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and a Community Builders Award for her work with Rainbow Routes Association. She is a Mom and Gramma.
For the past 31 years, Rajni has worked very closely with hundreds of residents in Thunder Bay and the area. Born and raised in Northwestern Ontario, the 4 years away at the University of Toronto and then 3 years in Mexico only made Rajni appreciate Thunder Bay even more. Her career has been broad and includes several businesses as a realtor and broker, restauranteur and real estate developer and property manager, and other local and international businesses. She was the Chair of the Special Olympics Winter games event Kidnapped for a Cause, President of Fort City Kinettes from 1999 to 2001, the National Chair of Entertainment for CF Telethon (1994-1997), and designed a fundraiser for organ donation awareness (Maharaja's Gala 2010 -2011). She also has won multiple awards and has been recognized for her accomplishments as a top producer in local real estate and an influential businesswoman. Rajni Agarwal has proven herself in business, development and care for the community.
Maman de 3 enfants, Carole s’implique à fond lors de l’ouverture de l’École publique Hélène-Gravel en 2001. Conjointement avec les autres membres du comité de parents, elle organise et participe activement aux maintes levées de fonds afin d'aménager des aires de jeux variées extérieures créant ainsi un espace sain favorisant le développement physique mais également social des enfants. Passionnée par les enfants et l’éducation, la réussite scolaire lui tient à cœur. Ancienne membre du Conseil scolaire au CSPGNO à titre de représentante des parents, Carole possède l’expérience nécessaire pour mener à bien les dossiers prioritaires des deux écoles de sa région: Franco-Nord à Azilda (quartier 4) et Hélène-Gravel (quartier 1) veillant à ce qu’elles bénéficient de conditions optimales pour la réalisation de leur mission éducative.
Catherine (she/her/they/them) works in public health, holds a Master's degree, has co-founded the local Pride committee and Young Professionals Network and sits as the Chair of the local Women's Shelter Board. She is a cancer survivor, vegetarian, and lover of the outdoors and audiobooks. She was born and raised in Red Lake, Ontario and has lived in Dryden for the past 10 years. She loves organizing community events, volunteering and supporting local events and businesses.
Lindsay Koch is a working professional, wife, and mother who jumped into giving back to her community following university through participation in various boards and committees related to economic development and tourism, business development, arts, community service, and social services, in addition to working with various groups on their fundraising efforts. Lindsay is a life-long learner who believes that when you know better, you do better. Relevant strengths include a background in policy and governance, open-mindedness and a willingness to consider other perspectives, the ability to respectfully engage in challenging debates and discussions, and most importantly, the drive to do what it takes to take care of what we have and grow to make us better.
Judy is a graduate of Laurentian University (HonBSW'77). She worked for the Provincial Government for 34 years. She led several government initiatives, negotiated and managed agency service contracts, and championed good governance, teamwork and partnerships. Since her retirement, she has sat on the Canadian Mental Health Sudbury and Manitoulin board for 3 years and has been a Rainbow District School Board trustee since 2014. She sits on several committees, including the Parent Involvement Committee, Equity and Inclusive Education, Labour Relations, and Special Education Advisory Committee. She is the board's representative on the provincial public school board association (OPSBA).
Shelby (she/her) believes Thunder Bay will need experience around the council table as we usher in a new crop of leaders who will need time to learn their new roles. She brings that experience. Having served on council for two terms, actively chairing and participating in more than a dozen committees, her progressive approach to moving Thunder Bay forward is what will be needed as we elect a new council in this post-pandemic world. She has never shied away from taking on large, politically sensitive files. She has served Northwood for the last 8 years with my shoulder to the wheel of $16 million in infrastructure, crossovers, a youth centre, splash pad, Conservatory upgrades and active transportation upgrades that make our neighbourhood walkable and liveable. She would be honoured to continue serving Thunder Bay's citizens with her sleeves rolled up and ready to take on the challenges before the community.
Tanya is the current Deputy Mayor for the City of North Bay and has served the citizens of North Bay for the last 15 years. Born and raised in Corbeil, she has proudly called North Bay home since she was 18. She and her better half Dan Nogueira have 2 beautiful daughters, Danielle and Sydney. She is the daughter of Bill and Gisele Vrebosch. Her day job is with DNSSAB as a Supervisor for Ontario Works. Her philosophy is to always listen and make sure people feel heard. Her guiding principles are fiscal responsibility with a social conscience.
These profiles are part of our ongoing series featuring women councillors and trustees elected through the ElectNOW initiative. Surveys were sent to all woman councillors and trustees who participated in the 2022 ElectNOW series. While some answers have been edited for clarity and spelling, the responses provided are the candidates' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of PoliticsNOW. If you are a woman councillor, mayor, or trustee residing in Northern Ontario and would like to be featured in this series, please fill out our survey.