By Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Pages of Me Podcast: Election Edition recently sat down with Olivia Duke, a candidate running for city councillor in Ward 4, as part of its “Beyond the Campaign” series, which introduces Burlington residents to the people behind the campaign platforms, slogans, and promises.
For Duke, her connection to Burlington began through family. She grew up in Guelph in a Polish household with her brother and parents, whom she describes as hardworking and committed to education, community involvement, and making an impact.
After university and a period of professional work in Toronto, Duke met her husband, who grew up in Burlington. When the couple began thinking about marriage and starting a family, Burlington became the place where they wanted to put down roots.
“It was truly one of the only places that we felt a deep connection to, and one that we felt that our children and both [of] ourselves can plant our roots more wholeheartedly,” Duke said.
Today, Duke is raising two children, an 11-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son, who she said have also developed a strong connection to the city. Their friends, schools, extracurricular activities, and community events are all in Burlington.
Duke said she appreciates what she calls Burlington’s “village mentality,” where neighbours look out for one another and different generations interact within the community.
“It seems as though, you know, it’s such a small community within a city, and I love that,” she said.
Duke previously ran for city council in 2022, an experience she said taught her the importance of listening to residents and understanding issues beyond the headlines. Over the past four years, she has continued to deepen her relationships within Burlington while learning more about government at different levels and becoming involved with residents across different demographics, age groups, and industries.
“Back in 2022, I thought I had a good handle on some of the issues and challenges that residents were facing,” Duke said. “But the one thing that I learned, thinking that as an independent person versus communicating that with others and hearing their perspectives, actually solidified the fact that that listening component is absolutely critical.”
Duke also continued her education, earning a master’s degree in public policy and a PhD in social psychology. She said her education has helped her better understand the intersections between communities, government, and policy, while also giving her another perspective to draw from when considering challenges facing residents.
For Duke, community involvement is not something she separates from family life. She said she grew up volunteering from a young age and has intentionally involved her own children in volunteering and community activities.
“The way I’ve balanced my time is that I’ve involved my kids in every single season of that, and that includes volunteering,” she said.
One experience that particularly impacted Duke came while she was preparing to nominate Dare To Be Youth for 100 Women Who Care, a local philanthropic group whose members collectively support community organizations. As she wrote about the importance of youth mentorship, she found herself reflecting on her own childhood and the role that support and opportunity can play in shaping a young person’s future.
That reflection reinforced her belief in the importance of ensuring young people have access to mentorship, programming, and people who recognize their potential.
When asked what barrier she would eliminate for Burlington families if she had the opportunity, Duke pointed to barriers to accessing programming. She spoke about the challenges families can face when registering for recreational and community programs, particularly when spaces are limited.
“I would love to remove the accessibility barriers associated with that because I do firmly believe that whether you’re a child or a senior in our community, you deserve a seat at the table,” Duke said.
She also pointed to cost and other barriers that can prevent residents from accessing community programs and spaces, noting that not every Burlington household is in the same financial position.
For Duke, inclusion means ensuring that access to Burlington’s programs and services is not limited to those who happen to have the time, resources, or ability to register first.
“I think that inclusivity is a key part of the discussion for sure because it’s easy to have a certain demographic reaping the benefits of a certain program all the time because they were either faster to their computer or set their alarms for 5 a.m. to put their kid in camp,” she said.
As the election campaign continues, Duke is encouraging Ward 4 residents to become involved in their community, regardless of how much time they have available.
“Community is built by not just sitting back and watching it pass you by; it is built by getting involved,” she said.
Duke said municipal government is particularly important because it affects residents in their everyday lives, from roads and sidewalks to community centres and libraries.
Looking at this stage of her life and her decision to run again, Duke reflected on how she would describe her current chapter.
“I think the era, or what I would name it, would be called ‘stepping forward,’” she said.
For Duke, that means bringing together the experiences she has accumulated professionally, academically, through volunteering and leadership, and putting those experiences toward serving her community.
“This chapter is really about being willing to step forward and put those experiences to work in the service of my community,” Duke said.
To hear more from Olivia Duke and the issues she hopes to address, watch the full “Beyond the Campaign” episode of Pages of Me Podcast: Election Edition on the Burlington Local-News.ca YouTube channel or below.
