On Paulette
Last week I attended the celebration of life of one of the best of us. Paulette Dozois, former archivist, indefatigable community volunteer, staunch New Democrat and Hintonburg champion, has left a massive hole in the hearts of many. This was reflected by the crowd that gathered at Tom Brown arena - an assortment of former Library and Archives colleagues, elected officials from every level of government, current and former community volunteers and HCA board members, several generations of New Democrat activists and staff and many, many neighbours.
It was a perfect tribute. Laughter echoed across the room as people shared stories and memories - a room that has served as a voting location, vaccination centre, warming centre and temporary shelter for the unhoused, performance space for various kid activities, and so much more. Multipurpose, versatile and community-oriented. Just like Paulette.
Paulette was one of the first to welcome me to Hintonburg when I moved here twenty-five years ago. She could always be found staffing a table at a community association meeting or event, selling the ubiquitous "Hintonburg" t-shirts, corralling the youth who volunteered at the refreshment stand at ArtsPark or craft fairs. We served together on the boards of the HCA and Newswest, a longstanding community newspaper. I very much appreciated Paulette's straightforward, no-nonsense approach to meetings, as it very much aligns with my own task-oriented, spare-me-the-bullshit sensibility.
I also appreciated her deep sense of equity and justice, and her commitment to getting good, progressive people elected - especially if they were women or members of other equity-deserving communities. This was a value we shared and we spoke about it often.
Paulette had absolutely zero ego when it came to campaigning. She would take on any task that needed to be done - phone calls, envelope stuffing, button-making, you name it. Reliable to a fault, Paulette was always there in spite of health struggles or other personal crises. More than one person at last week's event related a story of her joining a campaign Zoom from her hospital bed.
I was grateful to have had her support in my recent bid for a federal NDP nomination. She provided a generous endorsement and apologized for not being able to make calls like she used to. Of course just having her trust and confidence was enough for me.
Paulette's passing comes at a challenging time for New Democrats, and I've been thinking a lot about our current challenges as I reflect on Paulette and her impact. Paulette was a positive force. She could always see the good in people, even if they weren't good to her. Her dedication to the party and to the values it represents always came first, and despite differences in perspective she would never lose sight of the things that unite us.
In the discourse that has followed since the election and the beginning of the leadership race, I have heard far too much preoccupation with division and blame and far too little trust, faith and connection. This comes from a place of profound wounding, of course. People poured their heart into the last campaign, whether they worked in HQ or in ridings, and the losses are painful.
As we start to think about what a renewed party looks like, and consider who we want to lead that party at this moment in time, Paulette offers us a powerful reminder to focus on the things that unite us, to trust that even though we may differ in terms of policies, approach and perspectives, we chose the NDP because we align with its most basic values. It's easy to try and make your opponent the "other", whether you do it in public or in whisper campaigns on social, in phone calls or DMs. It's far more difficult to lead with kindness, vision and trust.
Let's be more like Paulette as we face this challenge together. Dedicated, genuine, loving, allergic to bullshit, hard-working, and - above all - kind.
