Chatham

Business Woman, Advocate Looks To Represent CKL Riding

A woman of many titles is looking to get involved in federal politics by first seeking the Conservative Party nomination for the Chatham-Kent-Leamington riding.

With current MP Dave Van Kesteren set to retire, Toyin Crandell has announced her nomination bid ahead of the 2019 federal election.

Crandell is a business owner and financial coach in Chatham-Kent. However, she says she's also heavily involved in outreach programs, such as the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce, the Ridgetown Rotary Club, and the United Way.

"I'm a very strong community advocate," she says. "I am the type of person that always gets involved wherever I live."

Crandell had lived in Etobicoke for several years, before moving to Chatham-Kent with her family. That's where she received the Rotary Individual Service Award.

"I was involved in over 50 different organizations -- not because I was looking for an award but because I genuinely want to see the community that I live in thrive," she says.

Not wasting any time, Crandell says she has already been out speaking to residents in the community regarding local issues. One of the major concerns she's hearing revolves around taxes. Crandell says helping people out of debt is part of what she does professionally, and is what will really help if she were to speak on behalf of those living in the riding.

"I've actually seen the burden of taxes and the burden of just work that a lot of Canadians face -- the burden of debt as well," she says. "That is something that I'm very passionate about, making sure that we have a standard of living that is accessible to everyone in our riding."

Some of the other concerns Crandell says she would want to address regards business growth and safety on the Hwy. 401 corridor.

"I've spoken on the issue of human trafficking all across Canada, as well as worked on this issue -- even internationally with women and children who have been trafficked," she says. "One thing that I continually hear from people within our community is [the need for] a government that's going to really speak strongly in terms of protecting Canadians."

Crandell is one of two local residents who has publicly announced their intention of getting the Conservative Party of Canada nomination. The other candidate looking to get involved in federal politics is Mike Grail.

Crandell says she and her team will be out in the community raising awareness of her candidacy and listening to concerns. To visit her website, click here.

Read More Local Stories