Windsor - May 17, 2019 - Melinda Munro, owner of Munro Strategic Perspective, a consulting firm that specializes in government efficiency and effectiveness, is running for the nomination to be the Liberal candidate in Windsor West in the upcoming Federal Election.

“I’m running to represent Windsor West because we are in a time of critical decision making for our community and our country. Our largest trading partner is acting unpredictably and our most important local industries depend on trade across the US and international borders. We have to be represented in Ottawa by a skillful advocate who understands how to get things done.”

“Since January this year, our government has invested $22 million in affordable housing, $5 million in the auto parts supply chain, and $32 million in climate change and flood mitigation and adaptation. Last year the government invested $57 million in transit. The Liberal government is helping our community be a 21st century powerhouse. But that is not because of the NDP, it is in spite of the NDP. We all agree that Windsor needs to diversify our economy and be prepared for the effects of climate change. We need to be at the table for that conversation, not sending in petitions as a member of the third party.”

Munro will be nominated by Rino Bortolin, long time Federal Liberal Riding association member, previous Provincial Liberal candidate and City Councillor.

“Melinda’s contributions to the riding association as policy chair and her expertise in government efficiency position her really well to represent Windsor West” Bortolin added.

Munro’s career has included 15 years as a trial lawyer and 15 years working in municipal government and not for profits.

Since coming to Windsor in 2004 she has worked as the City of Windsor’s first Diversity and Accessibility Officer, managed the successful Service Delivery Review and created the City Office of Continuous Improvement. After being head-hunted to create a municipal performance and budget framework for the City of Vancouver, Munro opened her own practice in Windsor helping governments and not for profits be better at delivering services.

“There is a straight line between services that make people’s lives better and government efficiency. As far as I am concerned, the term ‘fiscal conservative’ doesn’t belong to the far right and ‘social liberal’ doesn’t belong to the far left. A well run government delivers services that reduce poverty, advance diversity and create a future focused economy without wasting resources. As a member of a Liberal government this is the message I will bring to Ottawa for Windsor West.

“After seventeen years of being represented by the NDP, Windsor West still has the highest rates of child poverty in Canada,” Munro said. “This is unacceptable. The current government has done more to raise children out of poverty in this last term than anytime in the previous seventeen years. The Canada Child Benefit has already raised 275,000 Canadian children out of poverty and it will be increasing with the cost of living in July. These are the programs Windsor West needs. If we leave half the children in our riding in poverty, we are leaving half of our economic future behind.”

Bortolin feels Munro can be the voice that Windsor West has long been looking for. “Windsor West needs to stop voting ideologically and start voting pragmatically. We have to be directly involved in international trade negotiations, planning for a green economy and ensuring that we still have a strong advanced manufacturing base here for our kids and grandkids. We need to talk about the future - not just the next 10 years, but the next 50 years. Those discussions have already started. We need to be represented in government to make sure that they recognize what Windsor West has to offer and what Windsor West needs.”

No nomination meeting has yet been called for the Liberal riding association.