Felicia Samuel is Charting Uncontested Political Course

By Neil Armstrong

I am sharing some stories about Black candidates in the upcoming Ontario general election that I wrote earlier in the year.

Photo contributed      Felicia Samuel, Ontario NDP candidate, Scarborough-Rouge Park.

 

A teacher, community activist and trade unionist is hoping to become the new Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Scarborough-Rouge Park in the outcome of the June 7 Ontario election.

Created in 2015, this is the first time that this electoral district is being contested and Felicia Samuel, a candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP), wants to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

“As a teacher I’ve seen all of the things that we need and we’re asking for and never seem to get, so I realize that a lot of it comes down to funding,” says the Elementary Teachers of Toronto executive officer.

Samuel has worked on campaigns for public education and in her community work she realized that transit needs required funding and things become a problem when no money is allocated to address them.

She said this is especially the case in East Scarborough, noting that: “We need more money coming to communities, coming to education, coming to healthcare, just public services, in general.” 

Having spent her career working to help people succeed and reach their full potential, Samuel said she wants to be at the table to help make those decisions happen.

“I believe that the NDP is the party that will make it happen and that’s why I decided to get into it.”

In her current union work, she supports members when they are having difficulties in their schools. 

Since elected to that role, some have encouraged her to enter provincial politics.

Initially, Samuel was quite satisfied with staying in her union job but as she became more involved in it and saw how important government funding was to many programs and community groups with whom she liaises, she decided to give it a try.

“I have great politics; I care about people. I’m a hard worker so why not me, especially when we see how underrepresented women, especially racialized women, black women, black people are in politics so I thought why not.” 

The lifelong resident of Scarborough said for decades transit has not been improved in Scarborough.

She acknowledged that it has not been a provincial priority but the NDP is talking about cost sharing public transit with municipalities.

Samuel identified other needs of her riding such as jobs, noting the prevalence of precarious youth employment, and affordable housing because many immigrant families and families are living in one house trying to make ends meet.

“There are many families living in some of these houses. It’s not safe but it’s not affordable anymore. The average home cost in that area is around $700,000 and Scarborough used to be cheap to live.”

Another concern of constituents has been the rising cost of Ontario Hydro and the NDP’s plan to buy back what was privatized.

Samuel said this new experience is boosting her confidence in public speaking.

“Engaging people, going door to door is not as bad as people think. People are willing to listen, they’re willing to support, even if they can’t support just yet because they’re waiting to see the other platforms.”

Samuel had the labour movement has invited her to speak at different union events and people have donated to her campaign.

“Of course, I need more donations because now that organizations can’t donate getting people to give individual donations has been a bit of a challenge. And, I talk to other candidates -- that’s a pretty consistent one.”

A trustee for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Samuels volunteered with Respect Scarborough, a now defunct group, which developed out of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council to bring activists from the community together around some common issues. 

She is also active in One Love Malvern, a collaboration of groups in Scarborough dealing with issues such as food security and transit.

 “It’s time for more diversity in our government. The diversity in our government needs to represent the diversity in the population. And in my current role as a union leader we’re not there yet as racialized people. We are so skilled, we have so much to offer and sadly, in many respects, we’re still being kept out, we’re still being barred,” says Samuel who is of Barbadian and Trinidadian heritage.

She studied Italian, French and Spanish abroad, and has received the June Veecock Leadership Award and Elementary Teachers of Toronto Steward Award for her advocacy work.

Vijay Thanigasalam is the Ontario PC candidate running against her in Scarborough-Rouge Park.

Meanwhile, the other black NDP candidates are: Faisal Hassan, York South-Weston; Mahamud Amin, Etobicoke North; and Nikki Clarke, Mississauga-Malton.

Dionne Duncan, who is of Guyanese heritage, is the Ontario PC candidate for Hamilton Centre going up against NDP leader Andrea Horwath who is the MPP for that riding.

She is currently a vice president at the Rosa’s Centre, which provides services to adults with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Duncan is also a facilitator at Peel Halton Dufferin Acquired Brain Injury Services, where she supports patients with brain injuries.

The African Canadian candidates for the Ontario Liberal Party are: Mitzie Hunter, Scarborough-Guildwood; Granville Anderson, Durham; Michael Coteau, Don Valley East; and Leisa Washington, Whitby.

[This story was published in the North American Weekly Gleaner.]