The upcoming federal election is a great opportunity to reflect on how lucky we are to have a strong group of incumbent female MPs who have spent the past four years inspiring us and serving their communities well. I wanted to kick things off by featuring my very own MP, the amazing Karen Vecchio!

I’ll start with the story of how she and I first met, because I think it describes her perfectly. I was living in Ottawa, the first in my rural southwestern Ontario family to move away for school. I had no political experience, no real interest in what was going on in the nearby parliament buildings, and no connection to my local political scene in Elgin-Middlesex-London. One day in early 2016 I was walking through the Rideau Centre on my way to class and saw a familiar-looking lady in one of the restaurants.

I decided to tweet that I thought I had seen my MP, just for the excitement of having glimpsed someone from home. To my surprise, she responded almost instantly and invited me to come visit her in her office. A few days later, I navigated the Confederation Building like a true Beverly Hillbilly, and was met with a hometown hospitality that I will never forget. Karen took time out of her busy schedule that day to let some kid from Dunwich come in for a photo and chat about our community. That’s just the kind of person she is, and it’s just the kind of thing she does for people on a daily basis.

That experience was only the first of the countless times she has gone out of her way to extend opportunities to me, to make room for me at every table, and to make me feel like I have an important role to play in politics. The impact of those actions can’t be overstated. Here was someone who also came from an agricultural background in rural Elgin. She worked hard and put a positive spin on every situation and interaction. She was humble and sincere, and everyone from party leaders to security guards greeted her with an inside joke. If she was a politician (and a Conservative politician), then that was a life I could aspire to for myself someday.

To watch Karen in action in the House of Commons is to learn from the best. She is a fierce advocate for our community who quickly became known for making impassioned speeches on behalf of her constituents. She consistently applies a rural lens to all issues and stands up for farmers and farm families across the country. She tackles complex social issues with compassion and conviction. She assumes esteemed positions like Chair of the Status of Women Committee and Shadow Member for Families, Children, and Social Development with charm and tact. She does all of this as a wife and mom of five, which anyone can see is her proudest achievement.

In the riding, it is impossible to be at a community event where she is not hugging her way through the crowd for the entire duration. Her personality is infectious and the very small number of people who don’t know her feel comfortable approaching her. She has gone out of her way to establish a youth council that engages young people and creates meaningful opportunities for them to connect with their communities. There are few weeks where she is not hosting a roundtable with a stakeholder group or town hall with constituents. She values everyone’s perspectives and champions a wide range of local causes. She uses her platform and influence to lift people up.

Elgin-Middlesex-London is incredibly lucky to have Karen Vecchio. More broadly, Canada is a better place when she is in office. She’s an inspiration for working moms, rural women, and principled Conservatives everywhere. The perspective she brings to every discussion is one that thousands of Canadians can relate to. She embodies the very best of our riding and projects it into every constituency across the country. Canada needs her voice in the House of Commons, and I can’t wait to see her return for a second term this fall!

Disclaimer: Story of a Tory is in no way affiliated with the Conservative Party of Canada, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, or any other political party, be it federal or provincial. The views of each author are independent of all other authours.