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2- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 4, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Social activist wants the world to be a better place By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF She's lived in her car, she owes more than $20,000 in student loans and she's currently working two part-time jobs, well, three, if you count running for office. This may not seem like the average resume for a candidate in a federal election, but then Oakville NDP candidate Michelle Bilek's experience has not been an average one. The 35-year-old self-described social activist moved to Oakville six years ago and ever since has been just about as involved in the community as possible. Bilek attends the Oakville Labour Council's monthly meeting, is involved in the local environmental group Oakvillegreen and participates in Town Hall meetings dealing with such key issues as transit. As if that were not enough, she's a member of the Council of Canadians, a citizens' group that works to promote Canadian independence from the U.S., Green Peace, the World Wildlife Federation, Fair Vote, the Halton Peace Network, Make Poverty History, is on the board of directors for the United Nations Toronto Chapter and sits on SAVIS of Halton's Take Back the Night committee. When not occupied with these causes Bilek works either as a part-time teacher, currently teaching a Grade 12 English course in Thornhill, or as a waitress at a Mississauga restaurant. "I've got a pretty busy existence in general regardless of the campaign," said Bilek. "This has just kind of added more on there. It's pushed me in a new sort of direction and LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER ON THE CAMPIGN TRAIL: NDP candidate Michelle Bilek holds one of her election signs. it's a good sort of pressure. I've always been one who's thrived when more is put on my plate." Bilek has a close connection to her siblings and parents. That is evidenced in the daily trip she makes to Mississauga, despite whatever is going on in her life, where she visits her ailing father. Bilek's origins are humble ones, giving her a unique understanding of what it is like to live in poverty in Canada. "My parents were divorced and my mom struggled to work two or three jobs most of the time. At one point we did have a family restaurant, but that business went under," said Bilek. "Needless to say, a few months later we lost the house." The experience would leave a profound impact on Bilek, who remembers her mother waiting three months for government welfare to come to her assistance. The spectre of poverty would continue to pursue Bilek as she strove to get an education. While attending McMaster University, eventually earning a degree in psychology and sociology, Bilek actually had to live in her car for some time. "There have been times when I have had to choose between paying rent and going to school and I went to school," she said. "I remember getting woken up in the morning by campus security. Living in your car isn't the most fun thing in the world, but you've got to do what you've got to do." After McMaster, Bilek got a job at Princess Margaret Hospital, counselling patients and their families and getting patients into proper outreach programs. From there, Bilek moved on to a number of retirement residences, where she undertook both administrative work and activities with the residents. Eventually, Bilek chose to return to McMaster, this time earning a degree in teaching and women's studies. "As a kid I always really enjoyed getting up in front of people and helping them learn," said Bilek. "I teach high school, so I have these kids right before they're about to embark on one of the important journeys of their life and that's university. I want them prepared, not only scholastically, but for life in general." One of the most rewarding parts of being a teacher for Bilek is seeing a student, who has been having trouble, excel just because they have someone who believes in them. "If you give a kid a chance, don't label them and make them believe that they can do anything they want to do, they'll do it. It's only when you tell a student that they are going to fail that they will," said Bilek. In her 35 years, Bilek said she has seen the world change, though not necessarily for the better. See Michelle page 4 Campaigning for re-election one door at a time By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF You can tell from the way Bonnie Brown efficiently moves from house to house while door knocking in Glen Abbey that this is not her first election. She's dressed for the weather, with comfortable shoes and a friendly demeanour. She rings doorbells without any hesitation, prepared for whoever answers the door, even when large dogs are waiting to greet her. This is Brown's seventh federal election. Although she lost on her first try in the Oakville-Milton riding in 1988, she was victorious in that same riding in 1993. When the borders of the riding were redrawn for the 1997 election, she won the newly-created Oakville riding and has continued to serve as the area's MP. Brown's campaign staff estimates her Liberal team will knock on the doors of at least 80 per cent of Oakville's homes. Brown says this election is more important than ever, especially after her narrow margin of victory in the Jan. 23, 2006 election, when she defeated Conservative candidate Terence Young by 744 votes. "Every door we can get to counts," she said. "The election before the last one I won by about 10,000 votes. The last election was a lot harder to win." Brown said she will spend most of her time going door to door until the election. She takes it as part of the job, knowing that it could come down to the wire on Oct. 14. When asked about who will win this riding and what results she expects to see national- RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER PERSONAL TOUCH: Bonnie Brown meets with resident Steve Goodfellow during her doorto-door campaign. ly, she responds that she never predicts elec- the six reasons my brother had to use it." tion outcomes. As a youth, Brown was involved in dance, Brown, 67, was born in Toronto. She, even garnering an invitation to attend the along with her two brothers and sister, grew National Ballet School, but that was vetoed by up in Etobicoke in a household that she said her parents. She said she was somewhat of a was very political. tomboy, actively involved in team sports. "My father was an English Anglican Brown said she did not have a particular Conservative and my mother was an Irish career choice, so she headed off to the Catholic Liberal, so there was a fair amount of University of Western Ontario for a liberal debate in my house," she said. "I also remem- arts degree. She did not find her calling there, ber that if I wanted to use the car when I was so she transferred to a business college. It also a teenager, I had to give six reasons why I failed to pique her interest, so she transferred could use it that were more important than to the Lakeshore Teacher's College after hear- ing about a massive teacher shortage in the Toronto Separate School Board. She said teaching elementary students was a thrill for her. "I said to my mother, I can't believe they pay me for this," she said. "It was great fun." Brown said her family has always been a priority. She has seven children, including Lindsay, Andrea, Peggy, Caroline, Steven, Randy and Tami, as well as 11 grandchildren. When Brown was elected into Parliament, her youngest child was just starting university, so she said it was easier to balance professional and personal life. Brown lives in Ottawa while Parliament is in session, coming home on weekends to spend time with her family. Her husband, Ron Coupland, passed away in 1999. She said he was a strong supporter of her political career. "He helped me a lot," she said. "In my first couple of elections, he chaired the campaigns. He was a natural leader." Working in the public eye is not new to Brown. A resident of Oakville since 1970, she has served in a number of different roles within the region of Halton. After working as an elementary school teacher, she served as a school trustee, regional councillor and town councillor. She said her decision to run for federal politics was unexpected, but turned out to be one of the best choices of her life. "I was quite surprised, because at one point I thought I might like to run for Queen's Park, so the whole thought of going to Ottawa was quite different," she said. "But the family talked it over and everybody thought I should, so I did." See Bonnie page 7