Doctor with Guyanese roots aiming to unseat NDP leader

By Frederick Halley

THE prospect of facing Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) leader, Andrea Horwath in the provincial elections on June 7 has little or no effect on Progressive Conservative (PC) newcomer Dr. Dionne Duncan.

Born to Guyanese parents, Hector and Util Duncan, who currently reside in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the scholar is looking forward to not only “giving Horwath a run for her money” but to emerge victorious in the Hamilton Centre which Horwath has dominated since 2004.

Born and raised in Hamilton, Horwath was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament in 2004 and was chosen as the party’s leader at its 2009 leadership convention. She is the first woman to lead the NDP and one of only three women to serve as leader of a political party with representation in the provincial legislature, the others being current Premier Kathleen Wynne and Lyn McLeod, both Liberals.

Dr. Duncan was officially acclaimed as the PC candidate at a recent ceremony held at the Hamilton Public Library and among those in attendance were; her parents, close relatives and senior officials of her party.

In an eloquent and emotional acceptance address, Dr. Duncan said she was quite confident that her campaign platform will appeal to voters in Hamilton Centre, assuring that her main role was to focus on the community. She described her nomination as an honour and explained that it was indeed a happy day for her.

According to the 44-year-old Dr. Duncan, she loves Hamilton and sees a lot of hope and spirit there and is undaunted by previous elections results. She opined that the community has been forgotten or ignored and faces a health care crisis with patients sitting in hallways for days waiting for a room or a physician. “Why? Because nobody is handling the issue properly,” she said.

While supporting the recent increase in the minimum wage, Dr. Duncan felt that it should have been done on a gradual basis. The Liberals are proposing to add another dollar to the $14 per hour minimum wage on January 1, 2019. The PCs have stated they would ease the increase over a number of years.

Dr. Duncan said the increase to $14 from $11.60 on January 1, 2018, was too fast, too soon and it has resulted in part-time employees in the restaurant business feeling the brunt of employers having to recoup their higher labour costs in other ways. Based on that, she declared that the increase wasn’t thought out since it needs to make sense.

An ardent supporter of PC leader Patrick Brown, Dr. Duncan supports his proposal to provide the $1 billion in capital funding for its light rail transit system in Hamilton but cautioned that it should only be built if the city wants it, since residents and businesses will feel the brunt of the project’s construction. Hence, they need to be heard.

Dr. Duncan also showered praise on Brown for venturing into Ontario’s diverse communities since becoming the party’s leader and seeking their support. “Nobody went to them over the years, nobody asked for their opinion.”

As a woman of colour, she wanted to “show the party has multiple backgrounds (and) different types of people. I’m glad the PC party recognises a face like mine, it’s different from the past. I too am the face of the party.”

In his congratulatory message PC leader Brown pointed out that “Dionne brings incredible experience to our Ontario PC team. After 15 years in power, life is harder with the Liberals. Families are working harder, paying more, and getting less. Only the Ontario PCs will make life more affordable for everyone.

“In Hamilton Centre and across the province, the Ontario PC Party will continue to work hard for a better future. I look forward to working with Dionne to bring change that works for the people, not the insiders.”
Dr. Duncan has years of experience in community fellowship/stewardship and has supported a variety of boards across Ontario and internationally.

She was born in 1973 in London, England and immigrated with her parents to Canada in 1974. She graduated from York University with a BA, and completed her MBA from the Kellogg Schulich School of Business. She also has completed her PhD in Health Policy and Informatics from the University of Toronto.

Also, she is currently the Vice President of Healthcare and Client Advisor-ship at the Rosas Center and is a Facilitator at the PHD Acquired Brain Injury Services Group/Mind Forward in Ontario. In this role she services and supports patients who have brain injuries and require direct assistance with rehabilitation, medication, community support and extended life management.

Dr. Duncan serves on several boards across Ontario and also acts as the general manager of the Markham African Caribbean Canadian Association (MACCA) which has been in existence for the last 30 years. The non-profit entity offers scholarships to community members interested in advancing education in the area of arts, sciences, healthcare and technology and also focuses on programmes to help enhance community relations between families, seniors, individuals and youth.

Dr. Duncan is also the recipient of the 2018 International Women’s Achievers Award (IWAA), a recipient of the JS Woodward Award for Humanities and Community Support, a board member of Wychwood Open Door and a board member and vice-president for the Enlightened Women’s Core team.

Dr. Duncan also has experience in production and media, as she produced 18 shows for Rogers TV. The shows focused specifically on a male perspective on politics, family, love, sports, health and education.

She has appeared on a variety of programmes as a support host for topics specific to health and community affairs. Most recently she appeared on the Agenda a TVO programme, where she was part of a panel that highlighted the importance of Men’s Health.

Dr. Duncan was also the keynote speaker at International Women’s Day at City Hall in Markham Ontario, and had worked as a key note speaker and guest advisor on radio and TV across Canada.

In more recent developments, however, Patrick Brown resigned on Thursday as leader of the party, amid sexual misconduct allegations by two women.