I was first elected in a by-election in 2006.  In 2007 , the voters of Nepean-Carleton returned me to Queen’s Park with the highest vote total of any Progressive Conservative in Ontario and any candidate in Eastern Ontario during the provincial election.

Presently I am the Official Opposition Critic for Revenue and Government Accountability in PC Leader Tim Hudak’s shadow cabinet, as well as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies.  I am also the co-chair of the 2010 PC Party of Ontario Annual General Meeting.

Previously, I have served as the Official Opposition Critic for Government and Consumer Services and Critic for Children and Youth Services, and as a member on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

In 2008 I was honoured to be named to Ottawa Life Magazine’s “Top 50 People in the Capital” and in May 2007 to be nominated for a YMCA/ YWCA Woman of Distinction Award. I have enjoyed being  an honourary patron of the Ottawa Christmas Exchange and  honourary president of the Metcalfe Agricultural Society’s Annual Fair since 2006.  I am also proud to be a member of the Barrhaven Legion, a founding member of the South Nepean Autism Centre and the host of a semi-annual Women In Business breakfast series.

Like most Ontarians, cancer has touched my family and I am fond of the time I was able to spend as a board director with the Canadian Cancer Society- Ottawa Unit and as Chair of its Communications team.

Before I was elected to politics I was proud to work at Ottawa City Hall, Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park for current and former politicians in Nepean-Carleton.  Those experiences provided me with the best possible understanding of the issues we face in our fast growing suburban-rural community.  I was also grateful for time I spent with the management team at Sobeys Inc. for teaching me about customer service among other important business practices.

I graduated with an honours degree from St. Francis Xavier University and I have pursued masters level coursework in strategic intelligence at an American university.

Family is important to me, and my husband Joe Varner and I cherish our daughter Victoria and our little scottie/ westie terrier Aberdeen!  We are members of the Knox Presbyterian Church in Manotick and we all really enjoy spending our weekends with the Nepean Hotspurs and the Nepean Studio School of Dance!