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Getting to Know Giselle General for Ward sipiwiyiniwak

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Giselle General grew up in a small mining village in Benguet Province, in the Philippines. Her parents and sister were killed in an accident making Giselle an orphan.  She has lived in West Edmonton since 2008. She completed a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta School of Business and she is a serial volunteer and very involved in the community outside work hours. She writes a column for the Alberta Filipino Journal and she works full time in a not for profit that helps people who cannot afford lawyers.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in a small mining village in Benguet province, Philippines. My brother and I became orphans after an accident killed my parents and sister, and I helped manage a small village store with my grandma to survive. Then I was brought over to Canada as a teenager. West Edmonton has been my home since 2008. I completed a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta School of Business, I work full time in a nonprofit that helps people who cannot afford lawyers. 

I am a serial volunteer and am very involved in the community outside work hours. I served on the boards of the Rio Terrace Community League, Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board, and Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. I write a column for the Alberta Filipino Journal. I’m a volunteer seamstress for Boomerang Bags YEG and Edmonton Scrub Bags for Healthcare Workers. I also share myself, literally, through regular blood donations at Canadian Blood Services and hair donations for Hair Massacure, an annual Edmonton fundraiser supporting children with cancer.

 My journey as an immigrant is documented in several anthologies such as Gradual Rising of Women Project 150: Stories of 150 Immigrant Women, Paglalayag: the Philippines to Canada Journey Series, Home: Stories Connecting Us All, and Celebrating Immigrant Women in Canada: Stories of Hardship and Success.

 

Why politics?

Cliché as it sounds, in my younger years I didn’t dream of becoming a politician. As I got older I realized the impact of policy decisions and government programs in our daily lives, the lives of everyday people. Being a changemaker and trailblazer is always in my heart. That is how I got started, from my neighbourhood’s community league board, to government advisory boards as a citizen volunteer, to using my voice in different capacities, I was making an impact. Then the spark to make an even bigger difference came when I realize that better representation and more diverse perspectives matter in the decision making table. And that’s why I am here. 

 

Why are you running for council? What are your top priorities?

This was not a decision I took lightly, I decided to run five years ago and had prepared and got involved in the community ever since. I am running to fight and represent everyday Edmontonians. City Council makes decision on everyday experiences that affect us immediately the moment we step out of our doors, from snow clearing, public transit, utilities, garbage, neighbourhood parks and businesses, and these are the topics I am passionate about. 

 

Why are you the best candidate for the ward?

 

My professional background, community service history and my lived experiences make me the best next representative for the ward. I’ve lived in west Edmonton since I moved to Edmonton in 2008, and have firsthand used many city services to survive and build a good life here. My extensive community service experience, my business training from running a store and my Commerce degree, and my perspective as orphan and immigrant to this country is what we need more of in elected office. I’m demonstrating my commitment to inclusiveness, engagement and transparency from the beginning of the campaign. My donors list has been public since the beginning, and residents can count on the same level of commitment upon election day. 

 

What happens if you do/dont win?

If I win, we’ll be making history. The City of Edmonton has never had a BIPOC woman as city councillor. We never had a Filipina councillor. To my knowledge, we don’t have a city councillor who cannot drive and relies on public transit to get around. And that is a big deal. The ward will have a city councillor who already knows how to engage with people on a regular basis. 

I plan to document all my experiences to help make a campaign guide for others like me, immigrants, women, and regular people with no connections to big money, on the different details you need to run for public office. The learning curve is steep, and I want to make it easier for people in the future. No matter what the outcome on October 18, I know that I’ll continue to make a difference in the community.

Can you describe your plan to tackle drug addiction and homelessness? Is there an issue you would like to talk about? How will be an inclusive councillor?

Mobility, the ability to get around the city safely, effectively and conveniently is very important to me. As someone who is unable to drive, I experience first hand how difficult it can be to get around using our current system. Part of the reason is the underfunding that happened for many years. As the city grows into two million people within the same boundaries, ensuring better transportation options for those who walk, roll, bike, drive and commute is crucial. I also am passionate about consistent, reliable and transparent engagement, both from the city staff and by elected representatives. 

Addiction and homelessness is the outcome of numerous social issues, not the symptom. I’ll advocate to build more wraparound permanent supportive housing for those who are chronically homeless, and harm reduction supports for those currently fighting with addiction. Affordable housing and eviction intervention programs for those who are low-income so people don’t become homeless right away after a job loss is also crucial. 

Being inclusive starts with practicing what you preach. During the campaign, I am already implementing simple and meaningful actions to be inclusive, from alt-text in photos, captions in all my videos, translated versions of my brochures and mastering the pronunciation of all the Indigenous ward names of the city. I will carry this mindset as a public servant. When elected, I will monitor closely the implementation of the city’s Corporate Accessibility Plan, the recommendations of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Task Force report and the City Plan that has clear goals on inclusiveness to improve accessibility and inclusiveness of the city. 

 

How important is climate change and what will you do to make sure climate justice is at the forefront?

 

Climate change is real and we are experiencing the effects of it. The strategies I would advocate for are investing in public transit, incentivising businesses that either have better environmental practices or are investing in green industries, protecting our river valley, and supporting the vision of a 15 minute district to encourage people to drive less. 

 

What books inform your knowledge?  What do you do for your mental health?

 

As an immigrant and a woman, discussing mental health and trauma is a very unfamiliar topic. When I decided to prepare to run for public office years ago, I discovered the violent online commentary (physical and sexual threats) that women are subjected to, which would be horrific for me as a survivor or rape and molestation. In 2016, I sought out therapy for sexual assault survivors. It’s the best thing I have done for myself personally and for my future political goals. I healed somewhat from the trauma, and I have better capabilities to take care of myself psychologically. During this campaign, I have regular appointments with a therapist so check in on my physical and mental health and it has helped tremendously in this election journey. 

 

I have extended my resources to not just books, but online resources as well. A favourite book of mine is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I also want to give credit for some digital content that help expand my horizons, particularly about demographics I am not a part of, such as How to ADHD (that helped me understand mental health as someone who is neurotypical), Special Books for Special Kids and Sign Duo (educational for me learning about people with disabilities as someone who is able-bodied) and Jessica Kellgren-Fozard’s youtube channel (about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community)  .  

 

Share a quote or a poem that means something to you.

It’s a recent discovery actually. It’s the entire lyrics of the song Song of Women by The HU and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm.

am bones and I am skin

I am home, where life begins

I’ve started wars, I’ve given peace

Across the ocean, I carry the seed

I’m your lover

I’m your mother

I’m your sister

I’m your daughter

When Kings fall to their knees

They sing a woman’s song

When birds scream in the trees

They sing a woman’s song

The sunrise in the east

Sings a woman’s song

Every heart that beats

Sings a woman’s song

 

I am fire

I am water

I am empress

I am thunder

I am flower

I am wonder

I’m the object

Of your desire

I am beauty

I am grace

I am faith

 

Where can we learn more about you? 

You can learn more about me at www.gisellegeneral.ca I encourage you to get engaged in the upcoming election in whichever way you can. Find a candidate that resonates with you, and support them, including a candidate who is from a different ward, as councillors make city-wide decisions.

Don’t forget that election day is October 18.

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