VZCZCXRO6042
RR RUEHHA
DE RUEHHA #0016/01 1121245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221245Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL HALIFAX
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1377
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0602
INFO RUEHHA/AMCONSUL HALIFAX 1468

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HALIFAX 000016 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN AND INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR CA
SUBJECT: BIO DATA REPORT:  LESLIE, MEGAN -- MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR 
THE FEDERAL RIDING OF HALIFAX 
 
¶1. (U) Introduction/Summary:  Rookie MP Megan Leslie won the 
Halifax seat as the New Democratic Party candidate in the 
October 2008 federal general election.  Leslie replaced veteran 
NDP MP and former national party leader Alexa McDonough who 
retired from politics prior to the election.  Initially there 
were some doubts if Leslie could hold the seat for the party, 
which up until McDonough's first victory, had always voted 
either Conservative or Liberal.  However, thanks to a 
well-organized campaign and her strong appeal to the voters, 
Leslie walked away with a wide margin of victory, taking 42 
percent of the vote compared to her closest rival with 27 
percent.  Like most new MPs, Leslie is adapting to her new role 
with gusto, but it appears unlikely that this lawyer and 
tireless worker for the underprivileged will be giving up the 
mantle of social activist any time soon. END INTRODUCTION/SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (U) NAME: Megan LESLIE 
 
¶3. (U) DATE/PLACE OF BIRTH: 29 Sept 73; Toronto, Ontario 
 
¶4. (U) CURRENT POSITION: Member of Parliament (New Democratic 
Party) for the Federal Riding of Halifax (Nova Scotia) 
 
¶5. (U) PARLIAMENTARY FUNCTIONS: 
NDP Party Critic for: 
 
--Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 
 
--Homelessness 
 
--Housing 
 
--Literacy 
 
--Post Secondary Education 
 
--Aboriginal Affairs and Justice (Assistant Critic) 
 
¶6. (U) POLITICAL/PROFESSIONAL CAREER: 
 
--No previous political experience 
 
--Prior to her entry into elected politics, she worked at 
Dalhousie University Legal Aid Services in Halifax as a 
Community Legal Worker and law school teacher. 
 
¶7. (U) COMMUNITY/VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT: 
 
Member of the following groups: 
 
--Affordable Energy Coalition 
 
--Community Coalition to End Poverty 
 
--Social Activist Law Student Association 
 
--Community Advocates Network 
 
--Member and past cultural chair of the Scandinavian Society of 
Nova Scotia and an active member of the Finlandia Club of Nova 
Scotia (FYI:  Ms. Leslie's family background is Finnish. End FYI) 
 
¶8. (U) LECTURES/PUBLICATIONS: 
 
--Presenter to the 2005 UN Conference on Climate Change, "Heat 
or Eat: Energy Efficiency and Rate Affordability for Low Income 
Households" 
 
--Presenter to the 2008 Canadian Public Health Association 
national conference: "A Community Poverty Reduction Strategy" 
 
--Published an article in the 2004 Dalhousie Journal of Legal 
Studies:  "Boys Will Be Boys Will Be Girls: Sex Reassignment 
Surgery and the Ethics Of State Funding" 
 
¶9. (U) EDUCATION: 
 
--Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB), Dalhousie University, Halifax, 
Nova Scotia 
 
--Undergraduate studies at York University, Toronto, Ont. 
 
¶10. (U) WEB PAGE:  http://meganleslie.ndp.ca 
 
¶11. (SBU) COMMENT:  CG and staff met with MP Leslie in early 
April, some six months after her election to the House of 
Commons.  As with most rookie MPs she was still adjusting to her 
new life in Ottawa and in her case, as an elected politician. 
Politics, however, is not Leslie's main focus in life. Rather, 
her focus is on helping, and now representing, those in need. 
 
HALIFAX 00000016  002 OF 002 
 
 
Despite her young age, she already has a long history of 
involvement in a variety of causes such as assisting the 
impoverished and those needing affordable housing, as well as 
championing the rights of minorities.  She is also a deeply 
committed environmentalist with a particular interest in climate 
change.  Since her election, she has carried on with this 
activism, and continues to speak out on these issues in numerous 
small, low-key venues.  She has also branched out to comment on 
more global issues such as nuclear disarmament and Middle East 
politics. 
 
¶12. (U) Her current critic duties with the federal NDP caucus 
reflect her activist leanings as her subject areas are all 
current social issues. Even the choice of her constituency 
office space in Halifax is indicative of her activist roots. 
Unlike her noted predecessor, Alexa McDonough, Leslie has chosen 
to set up shop in a converted retail space in a part of her 
riding noted for its poverty and long history of social 
problems.  It comes as no surprise either that her new office is 
just a few yards away from her former employer, Dalhousie Legal 
Aid. 
 
¶13. (SBU) In terms of her personal characteristics, MP Leslie is 
very approachable and, as a recent magazine interviewer noted, 
she has a laid back style that conveys the feeling that you are 
"chatting with a neighbor on her front porch."  Interestingly, 
in this same press interview, Leslie acknowledged that despite 
her legal training, she has no intention of practicing law. 
Instead, she sees the law as a tool for social change and for 
bringing about justice and equality.  Likewise, she sees her MP 
status in that same light - not as a tool for personal gain and 
power, but rather as she says, "for making Canada a better place 
for people who are marginalized."  For now, the new MP remains a 
relative unknown outside Canadian social activist circles. Just 
how far she will venture from that comfort zone is unknown at 
this point, or what it might mean for her re-election chances if 
she decides not to expand her borders.  For now, however, she 
appears fully engaged in the fight for the needs of her 
constituents and not on the fight with future political foes 
come the next election call.  END COMMENT. 
FOSTER