2. Candidate Profile

Dave Levac, the provincial representative for Brantford and surrounding area, was recently reelected. This riding, home to approximately 120,000 people, is where Levac was born and raised. Currently, he lives in Brantford with his family of five.

Levac was first elected to the Provincial legislature from this riding in 1999 as the Liberal representative. He won in a shocking victory. All surrounding seats were won by the Progressive Conservatives in a majority government, but in his region, Levac upset Alayne Sokoloski, the PC candidate. He has won both elections since. In 2003, he did so by achieving nearly an astounding fifty-five percent of the popular vote.

In October 2003, Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed Levac Chief Government Whip and Vice-Chair of Cabinet’s Education Committee.

As MPP, Levac has two offices; one in Brantford, the other in Toronto. Levac does two jobs. In the local office, Levac helps his riding’s residents access the provincial government of available services. In Toronto, he communicates the needs of his people to the province.

Since being in office, community service has always been a priority for Levac. His work reflects this. He has taken part in many charitable events and committees, while setting up others. In 1998 he founded and chaired the Friends of the Firefighters Committee and raised $100,000, which he put towards the purchase of thermal imaging cameras for the local department. He has also aided The Heart & Stroke Foundation, Parkinson’s Association, Knights of Columbus, C.Y.O., Bids for Kids, Circle of Friends, and Riverfest.

Levac’s many contributions were recognized in 1998 when he was named Citizen of the Year by readers of The Brantford Expositor. Prior to this, he received the Canada 125 Medal in 1993, and an additional Ontario Service Award.

In 1997, he was appointed co-ordinator of Queen Elizabeth II’s royal visit to Brantford.

In the past year, he acquired life-saving defibrillators from the Heart and Stroke Foundation for Brantford, occupying the largest grant for AEDs in all of North America. “With access to this lifesaving tool, public facilities in Brantford will be safer places for all of us to gather to lead more active and healthy lives,” said Levac upon extending the grant.

Long before politics, Levac went to Wilfrid Laurier, Queens and Niagara universities.

Between university and politics, Levac was involved in the elementary and secondary schools for twelve years, as both a teacher in nearby Paris, and as a principal.

- Jesse Ferguson