An Elmira woman who’s spent her career as certified professional accountant is now looking to help balance the books in Ottawa by seeking a seat in Parliament as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC).
Carlene Hawley is the newly minted CPC candidate for the Kitchener-Conestoga riding.
Hawley and her husband Kevin have lived in Elmira for the past 16 years, raising their four teenaged kids, using her skills as a CPA to run a small business while “making her career work” for her family.
She would find herself becoming more engaged in the democratic process more than 10 years ago when former Kitchener-Conestoga MP Harold Albrecht spoke at her church. While the speech was not political, it provided her with a new image of a politician, leading her to the recent decision to run as a candidate.
Wanting to do more after seeing the way things have gone throughout the pandemic, her continued faith in democracy pushed her towards running to not only represent the riding, but also to fill her personal hope that the next MP would be from the townships.
“We find ourselves in this precarious time right now with over a year [of our time squandered] into this pandemic. The economic and social fallout are depressing. The Liberals have failed Canadians with their response to the pandemic and I believe in Erin O’Toole and his plan for getting our economy open safely. So why did I choose to run as a candidate in this next election? I still have faith in democracy. I wanted our next MP to be someone from the townships in this riding, someone accessible and relatable. Someone who has had successful experience in small business but also a track record of doing the hard things in life, going above and beyond and working to make our communities and environment even stronger,” said Hawley.
“As a mother and a small business owner, I am worried about how much money families get to keep at the end of the day, after the cost of food, housing, gas and taxes. Justin Trudeau doubled our national debt in six years. That’s more debt than it took to fund WWI, WWII, the Great Depression and every other challenge Canada has faced. What effect will this debt that Trudeau has doubled, have on their kids’ and grandkids’ future?” said. “As a CPA, practical fiscal responsibility and integrity drove me to take a stand and choose to work for the good of the people. The Conservatives are committed to ending these lockdowns, safely opening up the economy, and create jobs to stabilize our nation while protecting our rights and freedoms.”
With a stated goal of helping Canada to be a world leader again – exemplifying economic stability, freedom, and peace – Hawley says she will focus on a list of things which includes secure jobs including supporting small businesses and green technology, strengthening mental health programs across the country, and creating a concrete emergency response plan that all parties can get behind.
Locally, Hawley said the focus is on making life more affordable, local jobs, attracting and keeping businesses in the region, better supports for small businesses, and becoming better stewards of the environment.
Looking to the next election, Hawley said she wants people to know that she is going to do her best to serve them should she be elected MP, no matter what their political affiliation may be.
“[I will] serve the community, no matter how you voted! I would like to get the support Kitchener and the townships need to thrive and grow… I am up for the task and take seriously the role to serve, to be available to those from all around the riding, no matter how you vote and to work alongside, respecting everyone in the House of Commons.”
