New Member of Parliament Lisa Marie Barron.

By Merv Unger,
Nanaimonet.com

Ferries, airports and taxis, hiring staff, renting office space, touring Parliament. Lisa Marie Barron got a peek into her life for the next four years.

I conducted a virtual interview with the new Member of Parliament-elect for Nanaimo-Ladysmith between checking off all the things she has to go through even before she is sworn in. 

“I have been busy building teams and offices in both Nanaimo-Ladysmith and Ottawa. Interviews are in progress and I anticipate having a great team up and operating in the coming weeks,” she says.

She has a temporary staff member to help get things up and running at the Community Office at Suite 103, 495 Dunsmuir Street, Nanaimo. She hopes to have the office operating as soon as possible to welcome constituents.

“We are working with Ottawa through a variety of security and supply protocols and, as expected, there are operational items we continue to work through including our phone system which we hope to have resolved shortly,” says Barron. “I am working diligently to get through the large influx of emails. My role as MP at this time will continue to include travelling to and from Ottawa.” 

All this and she hasn’t even been paid yet, but when it comes is will be retro-active for her current work. 

Yes, she been to Ottawa already. Her time there included touring and finding her way around Parliament Hill and participating in onboarding and orientation sessions. And that continues  virtually (online) now that she’s back on the Island. 

“I attended my first NDP caucus meeting. I attended a press conference with Party Leader Jagmeet Singh in Ottawa with the other three newly-elected MPs. I continue to learn from fellow MPs and their staff, and am also keenly brushing up on my French. I have been participating in interviews and attending ongoing community events.”

The House of Commons will begin sitting on Nov. 22, but a big day is circled on her calendar – Nov. 4 she will be officially sworn in as a member of Canada's Parliament. You can be sure that will be a big day in her life. 

“I am happy that my two children and parents, being double vaccinated, will be able to join in person for this ceremony,” she says.