New Vaughan regional councillor pushes women's, seniors' rights, art

YorkRegion.com
July 4, 2017
Tim Kelly

As a person who has advocated for women and seniors and has a deep artistic strain, Vaughan's brand new regional councillor sees pushing the arts, seniors and woman's rights as part of her role.

Sunder Singh, 62, who was council's choice ahead of 52 other candidates on June 28 in the wake of former regional councillor Michael Di Biase's abrupt May resignation, is eager to get on with her job.

"Since my first day in Canada, I've dedicated myself to the service of all Canadians," said Singh in a phone interview on Tuesday.

That first day in Canada, Singh pointed out, was 46 years ago, June 27, 1971.

She arrived in Toronto from India and said she's worked to make positive changes in the lives of other newcomers, immigrants and refugees "at the micro level. That has prepared me to serve the community at the macro level."

A 10-year resident of Vaughan, the executive director of the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women, who has asked her board for a leave of absence until the 2018 election — she said her plan is to not to run for election — said Vaughan is "special because it is forward-thinking."

Her goals in office are threefold, she said: to help empower women; to make Vaughan a city of art; and to see that seniors get full support.

"I want to see that women have an effective and meaningful voice in Vaughan. I believe every one of us has artistic abilities and I would like to see the citizens of Vaughan explore their artistic abilities more actively. I would like to see a movement in Vaughan where the seniors are given the highest respect," she said.

At the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women, Singh, who joined the centre in 2005, said she has worked to bring diverse ethnic groups into the centre and said there are 18 diverse communities served there now.

“We have made sure seniors remain connected. We created the Peacock Arts Studio where seniors, women and youth explore their artistic abilities and create amazing art,” she said.