With an extensive background in international politics, Cobourg resident Emily Chorley today shifted her focus from global to local when she filed her nomination papers to run as a Councillor for Cobourg Council.
“It’s time for open government and a new citizen-centered approach that engages all the people of Cobourg and embodies the diversity and creativity of our community.”
As a Councillor, Emily would combine her international experience with the love of her hometown.
“I will put good governance at the heart of all I do and build around three key principles:
- Fostering meaningful public engagement and giving a voice to those in our community who have traditionally felt excluded from local government.
- Balancing the preservation of our heritage with responsible growth through sensible and sustainable planning.
- Creating a positive climate for a strong local economy by providing the leadership Cobourg needs to be a vibrant, attractive and sustainable place to live, work, shop and invest.
As an advocate for public engagement, she has made seven presentations to Council asking that residents be meaningfully consulted on decisions that affect them.
Emily grew up in Northumberland County and attended St Mary’s high school in Cobourg, where her politics teacher inspired her to pursue an interest in public policy.
She credits her parents as her biggest inspiration. After coming to Canada with virtually nothing, they started a small business growing tomatoes, and 35 years later are the largest supplier of floral displays to Toronto Business Improvement Associations (BIAs).
“They taught me the meaning of hard work, integrity and diligence.”
As part of her involvement in the family business, Emily built strong working relationships and managed contracts and budgets with large BIAs, gaining valuable experience in streetscaping projects involving floral displays, lighting and bicycle lanes.
With a Master’s degree in International Politics, she spent seven years working in the UK as a policy analyst, providing briefings to officials from various governments and organizations, such as NATO, the European Union and the United Nations.
As a specialist in military and international security, Emily also has extensive journalism experience, having written for The New York Times and provided expert commentary to CNN, Reuters, NBC News and other media.
Despite her love of life in London, her growing family sparked a desire to return home to Cobourg, where she continues to work on international policy issues.
“My husband and I wanted to give our little ones the happy childhood I experienced growing up here, so we came home to Cobourg. The historic character, the natural environment, and the sense of community are what we love most about this town.”
Emily will publish her platform in the near future and is looking forward to hearing from the people of Cobourg.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
