New Board Elected on March 23, 2019 - Hamilton-Burlington-Niagara Chapter

There is new leadership in place for the Hamilton-Burlington-Niagara Chapter, elected at the Annual General Meeting on March 23d.

This Board includes four new members and four returning members:

Chair
David Mivasair

Vice-Chair
Judith Wanner

Secretary
Debra Krar

Treasurer
Constance Jain

Membership Secretary
Paula Cimba

Members-at-Large
Ron Barrett
Susan Hill
Tracy Hudson

The entire board expresses great thanks to Ken Sherman who will stay involved as Past Chair.  Ken founded our chapter some fifteen years ago and has served as chair until now in addition to his Canada-wide and global roles.  Ken has been instrumental to the growth of the chapter over the years.

Respectfully submitted from the Nominations and Elections Committee: Susan Alksnis (Chair) and Tim Flannery (Teller).

Announcing Candidates for Election to the Hamilton-Burlington-Niagara Chapter Board – 2019-2021

Thank you to these volunteers who have stepped up to help lead our Chapter!

All positions are uncontested, so we are not sending digital ballots. All voting will be in-person.

Candidates for election are listed below with their candidate statements. 

Please join us at the Chapter AGM, Saturday, March 23^rd 11:00am with Panel and Lunch to follow. George Hamilton Restaurant, 152 King St. West (at Bay), Hamilton, Ontario.  Click here for AGM details and rsvp.

For the open position of Membership Secretary, nominations can be taken from the floor at the Annual General Meeting, Saturday, March 23rd. See the Membership Secretary position description here.

For reference, the nomination call was emailed to all eligible Chapter members and posted here.  The Chapter Nominations and Elections Committee is comprised of: Susan Alksnis (Chair) and Tim Flannery (Teller). Questions can be directed to Susan by email.

Candidates

Chapter Chair

David Mivasair

I am active in Democrats Abroad to bring positive change to U.S. politics.  I have been active in Vancouver and now Hamilton. I was on the Vancouver exec committee and now with Hamilton’s exec. I was in Japan for the 1980 election and was an alternate to the Dem National Convention. In Vancouver in 2008, I registered over 300 U.S. citizens to vote.

I know non-profits. For four years, I was the exec director of a political change organization in Washington, DC.  For 25 years, I was a rabbi in several synagogues. Now retired, I have time and energy for Dems Abroad.

I am focused on electoral success in 2020.  I want to reach out to the thousands of U.S. citizens in our area to register and vote.  I have organized successful voter registration at a speech by Hillary Clinton as well as the Women's March, Folk Festival, Pride Parade and more. During the mid-term, I organized nearly 40 Dems Abroad Canada to volunteer in swing districts in the U.S.  As the Communications Officer for Dems Abroad Canada, I helped raise our profile with stories in nearly all the mainstream media in Canada. I will continue to reach out to hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens in Canada.  I can also support our chapter as Chair along with the other members of the board to help the chapter grow. 

It is important to listen to any concerns that members bring forward.  I welcome members and interested not-yet-members to contact me at any time.

Chapter Vice-Chair    

Judith Wanner           

I have been involved with the Hamilton DA chapter for several years, most recently as Vice Chair. I have attended, supported and helped organize the Chapter's varied activities including the annual tax seminar, the summer picnic, and local Get Out the Vote efforts. I look forward to continuing to work with our Hamilton group as we move toward the 2020 election. I vote in Minnesota.

Chapter Secretary     

Debra Krar     

Please accept this self-nomination for the role of Secretary.  As a dual American/Canadian citizen residing in Canada for the past 23 years and in the USA for the preceding 18 years, I want to support the Democratic party during this chaotic US political climate.   I originally became involved to exercise my right to vote in the US elections and attended a DA sponsored tax seminar to better understand my challenging tax compliance requirements as a dual US/Canadian citizen. As I participated in the Labour Day parade, Locke Street festival and SuperCrawl to raise awareness, I also came to understand how the DA organization is structured internationally.  Last year I worked on the Toronto based GOTV campaign so learned more about the internal operations of the organization, its goals and special projects to make a difference in advancing the Democratic party’s objectives during the mid-term elections. The people I have met are wonderful and the information disseminated is greatly appreciated.  I feel that my skills as a certified project manager and management consultant can continue to be leveraged to support the chapter.

Chapter Treasurer     

Constance Jain           

Instead of throwing marshmallows at the TV I decided to contact other Democrats and do as much as I could to support the Democratic party.  In my role as Treasurer of Democrats Abroad Hamilton-Burlington I feel I am doing my part to encourage US citizens to vote and hopefully, elect more Democrats to serve in public office. It is my desire to continue in this office.

Chapter Membership Secretary

Open – nominations can be made from the floor during the Chapter Annual General Meeting on Saturday, March 23rd.

Chapter Member-at-Large

(alphabetically by last name)

Ron Barrett    

I am 69 Years old, from Chicago and immigrated to Canada with my wife as NAFTA investors in 2010 when we bought a transportation company in Milton, ON. I have a BS in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University. Most of my career has been as a senior manager, operation and sales, in technology related industries. I have been involved throughout much of my life in a variety of community and civic activities such as; City Council in Harvard, Illinois, officer positions in the Jaycees, Rotary, Wicker Park-Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, and Wicker Park Committee (a neighborhood association), active in several Chicago city council campaigns as well as two congressional campaigns and upon moving to Canada we were active in supporting our local councillor, now mayor of Burlington. I view Trump as a threat to the United States and the world. I’m concerned about income inequality, climate change, and ignorance over critical thought. I value history, civics, the arts, community and civility over what's the shortest path to making a buck or “screw you I've got mine”. I am disturbed by most of the current political class who mostly appear to put self above society.

Susan Hill       

I was born and raised in the Detroit area and attended Eastern Michigan University where I earned both BBA and MBA degrees.  In 1987, I moved to Chicago where I lived until we moved to Canada in June 2010 when my husband and I acquired a courier business in Milton through the NAFTA investor program.  I am a dual citizen and vote in US elections from Illinois.  I live in Hamilton with my husband, dog and three cats.  My corporate business career spanned over 25 years in the telecommunications industry where I held executive management positions leading large sales organizations across the US and Canada.  Since the acquisition of our business here in Canada, I am responsible for managing all financial activity as well as website development, marketing, and IT.  On a community level, I served on the board of the Wicker Park Committee (neighbourhood organization), was a founding member of the Wicker Park Garden Club, and served as a Trustee and member of the Stewardship Committee at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago.  Here in Canada, I participate on the stewardship committee and the planning committee for the annual fund raising events for Port Nelson United Church in Burlington. 

I have always followed politics and have voted in every election since I became eligible to vote.  I believe under the current administration, our voting rights are at risk.  Voter suppression is one key issue that I believe needs significant attention from lawmakers.  My other key issues are universal healthcare, climate change, gun control, corporate "ownership" of our elected members of congress, and the threat to women's reproductive freedom.  I am encouraged by the recent mid-term elections and hopeful the pendulum will swing back toward sanity and bi-partisanship.  I long for politicians who can develop and enact legislation that serves the people, not the corporations and top one percent.  

Tracy Hudson

I have been volunteering for Democrats Abroad for eight years, helping Democrats Abroad Canada coordinate its social media. I served on the Hamilton/Burlington/Niagara chapter last term as IT Manager. I’m looking forward to helping the chapter with its communications.

Never Again is the rally cry from the kids and families of Parkland Florida as they organize the March for Their Lives in DC March 24 2018

Never Again is the pledge I make.

Never again, will I let the memories of school shootings fade from my mind once the news cycle decides it not news anymore.
Never Again, will I forget the images of children dead inside of America's learning institutions.
Never again, will I be complacent on gun control.
Never Again, will I forget that these children depend on Us Adults to do something.
Forever and again, will I use my clout to vote "them" out.

Add your name to this pledge by sending an email to neveragain@democratsabroad.ca. putting your First and Last Name (or First Name and last initial if you prefer) and City in the subject line.

Julie Buchanan-Brampton, ON

Lissette Wright-Ottawa, ON

Danielle Stampley-Toronto, ON

Gena Brumitt-London, ON

Steve Nardi-Mississauga, ON

Heidi Burch - Victoria, BC

Louie Bardelang - Columbus, Ohio

Jim Mercereau - Mardrid, Spain

Jacqueline Swartz - Toronto, ON