{"id":1616,"date":"2022-04-12T07:50:08","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T12:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theelman.com\/?p=1616"},"modified":"2022-04-12T07:50:12","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T12:50:12","slug":"letter-to-don-valley-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/letter-to-don-valley-west\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter To Don Valley West"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Irwin Elman NDP Candidate Don Valley West<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"839\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?resize=750%2C839\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1617\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?w=823&amp;ssl=1 823w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?resize=268%2C300&amp;ssl=1 268w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?resize=768%2C859&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?resize=21%2C24&amp;ssl=1 21w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?resize=32%2C36&amp;ssl=1 32w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theelman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG-4552.jpg?resize=43%2C48&amp;ssl=1 43w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>From Irwin Elman NDP Candidate Don Valley West<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dear Don Valley West,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&nbsp;feels&nbsp;as&nbsp;if&nbsp;every&nbsp;moment&nbsp;of&nbsp;my&nbsp;life&nbsp;and&nbsp;my&nbsp;career&nbsp;has&nbsp;led&nbsp;me&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;ready&nbsp;to&nbsp;write&nbsp;this&nbsp;letter to&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;am&nbsp;writing&nbsp;with&nbsp;respect&nbsp;to&nbsp;seek&nbsp;your&nbsp;support&nbsp;and&nbsp;your&nbsp;vote&nbsp;for&nbsp;me&nbsp;as&nbsp;your representative&nbsp;at&nbsp;Queen\u2019s&nbsp;Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;have&nbsp;been&nbsp;working&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;better&nbsp;community,&nbsp;a&nbsp;better&nbsp;province, and&nbsp;a&nbsp;better&nbsp;world&nbsp;since&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;teenager.&nbsp;&nbsp;As&nbsp;a&nbsp;child&nbsp;living&nbsp;in&nbsp;ahardscrabble&nbsp;part&nbsp;of&nbsp;Ottawa,&nbsp;I&nbsp;witnessed&nbsp;my&nbsp;Mom&nbsp;working&nbsp;long hours&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;service&nbsp;worker,&nbsp;trying&nbsp;to&nbsp;ensure&nbsp;that&nbsp;rent&nbsp;was&nbsp;paidand&nbsp;food&nbsp;was&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;table,&nbsp;all&nbsp;the&nbsp;while&nbsp;looking&nbsp;after&nbsp;three&nbsp;children.&nbsp;Her&nbsp;devotion&nbsp;to&nbsp;us&nbsp;taught&nbsp;us&nbsp;discipline,&nbsp;commitmentand&nbsp;determination.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mom&nbsp;also&nbsp;taught&nbsp;us&nbsp;empathy,&nbsp;to&nbsp;know&nbsp;how&nbsp;fortunate&nbsp;we&nbsp;were,&nbsp;and&nbsp;that&nbsp;while&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;not&nbsp;ourresponsibility&nbsp;to&nbsp;try&nbsp;to&nbsp;save&nbsp;the&nbsp;world,&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;not&nbsp;exempt&nbsp;from&nbsp;trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Renting&nbsp;an&nbsp;apartment&nbsp;in&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West and&nbsp;living&nbsp;from&nbsp;pay cheque&nbsp;to&nbsp;pay cheque,&nbsp;I&nbsp;felt&nbsp;the&nbsp;worry&nbsp;each&nbsp;year&nbsp;when&nbsp;the&nbsp;leasewas&nbsp;up,&nbsp;wondering&nbsp;if&nbsp;I&nbsp;could&nbsp;afford&nbsp;the&nbsp;rent&nbsp;increase.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;came&nbsp;to&nbsp;appreciate&nbsp;our&nbsp;community &#8211;&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West &#8211;&nbsp;a&nbsp;riding&nbsp;of&nbsp;greatdiversity,&nbsp;with&nbsp;pockets&nbsp;of&nbsp;wealth&nbsp;and&nbsp;pockets&nbsp;of&nbsp;people&nbsp;living&nbsp;in&nbsp;poverty.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;believe&nbsp;all&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;want&nbsp;our&nbsp;neighbours&nbsp;to&nbsp;be well&nbsp;andgiven&nbsp;the&nbsp;supports&nbsp;and&nbsp;service&nbsp;they&nbsp;need&nbsp;to&nbsp;fully&nbsp;participate&nbsp;in&nbsp;society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After&nbsp;graduating&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;University&nbsp;of&nbsp;Toronto&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;teacher&nbsp;and&nbsp;while&nbsp;gaining&nbsp;my&nbsp;Masters&nbsp;in Education,&nbsp;I created&nbsp;acentre&nbsp;to&nbsp;serve&nbsp;young&nbsp;people&nbsp;from&nbsp;all&nbsp;four&nbsp;Children\u2019s&nbsp;Aid&nbsp;Societies&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;GTA,&nbsp;helping&nbsp;them&nbsp;to&nbsp;live&nbsp;on&nbsp;their&nbsp;own.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;wastransformed&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;thousands&nbsp;of&nbsp;remarkable&nbsp;young&nbsp;people&nbsp;I&nbsp;met over 20 years,&nbsp;many&nbsp;of&nbsp;whom&nbsp;came&nbsp;from&nbsp;Don&nbsp;ValleyWest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In&nbsp;2009\u20132019&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;unanimously&nbsp;appointed&nbsp;and&nbsp;then reappointed&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;Legislature&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;Provincial&nbsp;Advocate&nbsp;forChildren&nbsp;and&nbsp;Youth.&nbsp;&nbsp;As&nbsp;an&nbsp;Officer&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Legislature,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;responsible&nbsp;for&nbsp;partnering&nbsp;with&nbsp;the&nbsp;most&nbsp;vulnerable&nbsp;children,youth&nbsp;and&nbsp;families&nbsp;in&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;to&nbsp;ensure&nbsp;their&nbsp;voices&nbsp;were&nbsp;heard&nbsp;and&nbsp;their&nbsp;rights&nbsp;respected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;learned&nbsp;to&nbsp;listen&nbsp;and&nbsp;to&nbsp;respectfully&nbsp;make&nbsp;a&nbsp;plan&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;to&nbsp;where&nbsp;the&nbsp;person&nbsp;needed&nbsp;to&nbsp;be.&nbsp;I&nbsp;learned&nbsp;how&nbsp;to&nbsp;bring&nbsp;diversepeople&nbsp;together to&nbsp;focus&nbsp;on the&nbsp;issue&nbsp;at&nbsp;hand&nbsp;and find&nbsp;solutions. Whether participating&nbsp;in&nbsp;major policy discussions&nbsp;or&nbsp;supporting&nbsp;someone\u2019s&nbsp;personal&nbsp;challenge,&nbsp;I&nbsp;honed&nbsp;the&nbsp;skills&nbsp;needed&nbsp;to&nbsp;serve&nbsp;the&nbsp;people&nbsp;of&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;have&nbsp;seen&nbsp;from the&nbsp;inside how Liberal&nbsp;and&nbsp;Conservative governments work.&nbsp;I&nbsp;saw&nbsp;Liberal governments&nbsp;that&nbsp;cared&nbsp;onlyabout&nbsp;the&nbsp;effect any&nbsp;decision&nbsp;would&nbsp;have&nbsp;on&nbsp;their&nbsp;political&nbsp;fortunes,&nbsp;with&nbsp;their&nbsp;central&nbsp;focus of staying&nbsp;in&nbsp;power.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;witnessedhow&nbsp;a&nbsp;Conservative&nbsp;government,&nbsp;fueled&nbsp;by&nbsp;outdated&nbsp;ideology,&nbsp;based&nbsp;every&nbsp;decision&nbsp;on&nbsp;how&nbsp;much&nbsp;it&nbsp;cost and&nbsp;whether&nbsp;theirfriends&nbsp;would&nbsp;benefit, and failing to solve&nbsp;the&nbsp;problems&nbsp;facing&nbsp;Ontarians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And now&nbsp;I&nbsp;want&nbsp;to&nbsp;use my knowledge, my skills and my passion&nbsp;to&nbsp;support&nbsp;the&nbsp;people&nbsp;of&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a&nbsp;ridingthat&nbsp;has&nbsp;become&nbsp;a&nbsp;part&nbsp;of&nbsp;me and I&nbsp;want&nbsp;to&nbsp;partner&nbsp;with all the people living in this riding&nbsp;as&nbsp;their&nbsp;advocate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;want to be part of a government that centers every decision on the well-being of people, on the well being of all Ontarians.&nbsp;&nbsp;The&nbsp;NDP&nbsp;was&nbsp;created&nbsp;for&nbsp;exactly&nbsp;this&nbsp;purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;time&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Change&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;Better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&nbsp;Valley West&nbsp;has&nbsp;never&nbsp;elected&nbsp;an NDP&nbsp;MPP&nbsp;but I&nbsp;believe&nbsp;the&nbsp;time&nbsp;has&nbsp;come.&nbsp;The&nbsp;June&nbsp;2<sup>nd<\/sup>&nbsp;provincial&nbsp;election offers you&nbsp;the&nbsp;opportunity&nbsp;to make&nbsp;history&nbsp;and to&nbsp;begin&nbsp;a&nbsp;new,&nbsp;compassionate&nbsp;and&nbsp;progressive chapter&nbsp;in Don&nbsp;Valley West.&nbsp;Let\u2019s take&nbsp;this&nbsp;journey together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;want to&nbsp;hear&nbsp;from&nbsp;you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please feel&nbsp;free&nbsp;to&nbsp;connect with me at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:Irwin.elman@ontariondp.ca\">Irwin.elman@ontariondp.ca<\/a>.&nbsp;Sincerely,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Irwin Elman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Irwin Elman NDP Candidate Don Valley West Dear Don Valley West, It&nbsp;feels&nbsp;as&nbsp;if&nbsp;every&nbsp;moment&nbsp;of&nbsp;my&nbsp;life&nbsp;and&nbsp;my&nbsp;career&nbsp;has&nbsp;led&nbsp;me&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;ready&nbsp;to&nbsp;write&nbsp;this&nbsp;letter to&nbsp;you. I&nbsp;am&nbsp;writing&nbsp;with&nbsp;respect&nbsp;to&nbsp;seek&nbsp;your&nbsp;support&nbsp;and&nbsp;your&nbsp;vote&nbsp;for&nbsp;me&nbsp;as&nbsp;your representative&nbsp;at&nbsp;Queen\u2019s&nbsp;Park. I&nbsp;have&nbsp;been&nbsp;working&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;better&nbsp;community,&nbsp;a&nbsp;better&nbsp;province, and&nbsp;a&nbsp;better&nbsp;world&nbsp;since&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;teenager.&nbsp;&nbsp;As&nbsp;a&nbsp;child&nbsp;living&nbsp;in&nbsp;ahardscrabble&nbsp;part&nbsp;of&nbsp;Ottawa,&nbsp;I&nbsp;witnessed&nbsp;my&nbsp;Mom&nbsp;working&nbsp;long hours&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;service&nbsp;worker,&nbsp;trying&nbsp;to&nbsp;ensure&nbsp;that&nbsp;rent&nbsp;was&nbsp;paidand&nbsp;food&nbsp;was&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;table,&nbsp;all&nbsp;the&nbsp;while&nbsp;looking&nbsp;after&nbsp;three&nbsp;children.&nbsp;Her&nbsp;devotion&nbsp;to&nbsp;us&nbsp;taught&nbsp;us&nbsp;discipline,&nbsp;commitmentand&nbsp;determination.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mom&nbsp;also&nbsp;taught&nbsp;us&nbsp;empathy,&nbsp;to&nbsp;know&nbsp;how&nbsp;fortunate&nbsp;we&nbsp;were,&nbsp;and&nbsp;that&nbsp;while&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;not&nbsp;ourresponsibility&nbsp;to&nbsp;try&nbsp;to&nbsp;save&nbsp;the&nbsp;world,&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;not&nbsp;exempt&nbsp;from&nbsp;trying. Renting&nbsp;an&nbsp;apartment&nbsp;in&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West and&nbsp;living&nbsp;from&nbsp;pay cheque&nbsp;to&nbsp;pay cheque,&nbsp;I&nbsp;felt&nbsp;the&nbsp;worry&nbsp;each&nbsp;year&nbsp;when&nbsp;the&nbsp;leasewas&nbsp;up,&nbsp;wondering&nbsp;if&nbsp;I&nbsp;could&nbsp;afford&nbsp;the&nbsp;rent&nbsp;increase.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;came&nbsp;to&nbsp;appreciate&nbsp;our&nbsp;community &#8211;&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West &#8211;&nbsp;a&nbsp;riding&nbsp;of&nbsp;greatdiversity,&nbsp;with&nbsp;pockets&nbsp;of&nbsp;wealth&nbsp;and&nbsp;pockets&nbsp;of&nbsp;people&nbsp;living&nbsp;in&nbsp;poverty.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;believe&nbsp;all&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;want&nbsp;our&nbsp;neighbours&nbsp;to&nbsp;be well&nbsp;andgiven&nbsp;the&nbsp;supports&nbsp;and&nbsp;service&nbsp;they&nbsp;need&nbsp;to&nbsp;fully&nbsp;participate&nbsp;in&nbsp;society. After&nbsp;graduating&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;University&nbsp;of&nbsp;Toronto&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;teacher&nbsp;and&nbsp;while&nbsp;gaining&nbsp;my&nbsp;Masters&nbsp;in Education,&nbsp;I created&nbsp;acentre&nbsp;to&nbsp;serve&nbsp;young&nbsp;people&nbsp;from&nbsp;all&nbsp;four&nbsp;Children\u2019s&nbsp;Aid&nbsp;Societies&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;GTA,&nbsp;helping&nbsp;them&nbsp;to&nbsp;live&nbsp;on&nbsp;their&nbsp;own.&nbsp;&nbsp;I&nbsp;wastransformed&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;thousands&nbsp;of&nbsp;remarkable&nbsp;young&nbsp;people&nbsp;I&nbsp;met over 20 years,&nbsp;many&nbsp;of&nbsp;whom&nbsp;came&nbsp;from&nbsp;Don&nbsp;ValleyWest. In&nbsp;2009\u20132019&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;unanimously&nbsp;appointed&nbsp;and&nbsp;then reappointed&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;Legislature&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;Provincial&nbsp;Advocate&nbsp;forChildren&nbsp;and&nbsp;Youth.&nbsp;&nbsp;As&nbsp;an&nbsp;Officer&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Legislature,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;responsible&nbsp;for&nbsp;partnering&nbsp;with&nbsp;the&nbsp;most&nbsp;vulnerable&nbsp;children,youth&nbsp;and&nbsp;families&nbsp;in&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;to&nbsp;ensure&nbsp;their&nbsp;voices&nbsp;were&nbsp;heard&nbsp;and&nbsp;their&nbsp;rights&nbsp;respected. I&nbsp;learned&nbsp;to&nbsp;listen&nbsp;and&nbsp;to&nbsp;respectfully&nbsp;make&nbsp;a&nbsp;plan&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;to&nbsp;where&nbsp;the&nbsp;person&nbsp;needed&nbsp;to&nbsp;be.&nbsp;I&nbsp;learned&nbsp;how&nbsp;to&nbsp;bring&nbsp;diversepeople&nbsp;together to&nbsp;focus&nbsp;on the&nbsp;issue&nbsp;at&nbsp;hand&nbsp;and find&nbsp;solutions. Whether participating&nbsp;in&nbsp;major policy discussions&nbsp;or&nbsp;supporting&nbsp;someone\u2019s&nbsp;personal&nbsp;challenge,&nbsp;I&nbsp;honed&nbsp;the&nbsp;skills&nbsp;needed&nbsp;to&nbsp;serve&nbsp;the&nbsp;people&nbsp;of&nbsp;Don&nbsp;Valley&nbsp;West. I&nbsp;have&nbsp;seen&nbsp;from the&nbsp;inside how Liberal&nbsp;and&nbsp;Conservative governments work.&nbsp;I&nbsp;saw&nbsp;Liberal governments&nbsp;that&nbsp;cared&nbsp;onlyabout&nbsp;the&nbsp;effect any&nbsp;decision&nbsp;would&nbsp;have&nbsp;on&nbsp;their&nbsp;political&nbsp;fortunes,&nbsp;with&nbsp;their&nbsp;central&nbsp;focus of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1616"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1616\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1619,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1616\/revisions\/1619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}