Jennifer Pollock is a lawyer and a former Chair of the Calgary Board of Education’s Board of Trustees. The Calgary Board of Education educates over 100,000 students in over 230 schools, with a budget in excess of $600 million. Jennifer is trained as an interest-based negotiator and facilitator for collaborative decision making, and applies those win-win approaches to both law and politics.

Jennifer and her husband Dennis have lived in Calgary for over 30 years and raised four children together. Responsive to the needs of her community, Jennifer has built a long history of active volunteerism. She has taught with CUSO in Africa, officiated at the 1988 Olympics and with four children in hockey has many years of involvement in sport. Currently Jennifer is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Association of Women Lawyers and the organizing committee for the Minto Cup, Canada’s national Junior A Lacrosse championship.

In running for office Jennifer wants to see Calgary’s concerns and ideas at the centre of our national political agenda. The citizens of Calgary Centre deserve a system that communicates and shares information, documentation, opinions and priorities in real time. Jennifer wants to build such a system, and represent Calgary Centre by bringing all sides of the issues to the process in time for meaningful participatory democracy.

During the last five years the Harper government has let both businesses and individuals down, behaving unpredictably and without transparency. Calgarians deserve better.

Why is Jennifer Running?

Jennifer believes Canada and Calgary need strong, engaging and practical leaders during tough economic times. She is committed to working with all fellow MPs to ensure that the time and resources of the Canadian government are focussed on a better future. Jennifer’s experience with local democracy has reinforced the need for inclusive communications with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Jennifer sees her elected role as a partnership, where her potential and effectiveness relies on an active and engaged community as much as her own skill and hard work.

Jennifer’s key goals begin with placing Calgary’s concerns, needs and ideas at the centre of Canada’s national political agenda. We need to develop a system of communication with citizens in Calgary Centre to receive and document their opinions and priorities in ‘real time’. An important part of that will be reporting back to the people of Calgary Centre on what she is hearing and what issues are on the agenda or under consideration in time to enable meaningful participatory democracy.

Jennifer expects that government finances, revenues and expenditures will be a significant challenge over the next three years. The Liberal plan is to provide personal security to Canadians through support for child care, education, pensions and family care initiatives. With this support Canadians will have the freedom and opportunity to learn and prosper. There will also be plans for health, environmental, food, energy and global security.

Jennifer believes focusing on people is central to our elected leaders’ decision making. The disproportionate focus on money, corporations and crime has led to simple fixes that don’t serve Canada’s economic or social well being. During the last five years the federal government has let both individuals and corporations down by avoiding commitment to long term plans and acting unpredictably and without communication or consultation. They have reneged on agreements, changed rules and funding without notice and generally been poor stewards of the national interest.

Calgary’s issues and Calgarians’ ideas are important to Canada’s future. Jennifer will ensure they get the hearing, respect and resources required to meet current needs and build for a better future.