About Michelle

Michelle was elected the Member of Parliament for the riding of Scarborough Southwest in October 2008.

During her tenure, Michelle sat as a member on the Standing Committee on the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics as well as on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. She was also a founding member and Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care, a non-partisan Parliamentary ad-hoc committee created in April 2010 to promote awareness of the glaring deficiencies in Canada's palliative and compassionate care framework.

In July 2009, Michelle received national attention when she became the first federal MP in Canada's history to proactively disclose, in full detail, her member's budget, a move that resulted in several positive changes in Parliament's transparency and accountability to Canadians.

In November 2009, Michelle was proud and honoured when her motion calling for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare was unanimously adopted by the House of Commons. This was a key measure towards prompting international animal welfare awareness and legislation.

Michelle is passionate about addressing the challenges facing Scarborough families, particularly during these uncertain times. She devoted a great deal of time to ensuring that all families were afforded the opportunity to participate in the economic prosperity enjoyed by most Canadians, while also working to provide them with a safe, healthy and clean community in which to live.

Prior to being elected in 2008, Michelle was a Vice-President and General Manager of a leasing firm, headquartered in Scarborough. She also worked for 14 years, in various managerial positions, for the Bank of Nova Scotia.

Michelle has always been very active in Canada's political scene as well as within her own community. She served on the executive Board of the Ontario Women's Liberal Commission and Chair of the Margaret Campbell Fund, both organizations mandated to increase female participation in politics, provincially and federally. Her election to the President's position of the OWLC in 2004 provided Michelle with the opportunity to also serve on the Ontario Liberal Party Executive Council and the Liberal Party of Canada (Ont) Management Board. Within the community, Michelle volunteered for several organizations. She was treasurer of a Scarborough hockey league, served as President of the Parent's Auxiliary at her son's high school, as well as 11 years on the York Region Condominium Corporation #882, two years of which was in the capacity as President.

Michelle has been married to husband George for 37 years and they are the proud parents of one son, Eric.