Robert Dekker, the Progressive Conservative candidate in Ottawa Centre, got into politics after a long career in communications.
Dekker was a radio broadcasting student at Humber College in Toronto and worked at both CJCS Radio in Stratford and Bell Canada after completing his studies.
He now heads the board of directors of Daybreak Non-Profit Supportive Housing, a social housing project in Ottawa.
He is also the chairman of Ottawa’s Walk for Kids Help Phone, a phone and online counseling service for children in need.
Dekker moved to Ottawa 22 years ago, after growing up in Scarborough and Mississauga. He and his partner have two teenage children.
One of Dekker’s election priorities is education. He proposes more investment in technology, such as computers. He supports full-day kindergarten programs.
To pay for higher education and healthcare, Dekker would scrap expensive, ineffective programs.
He also supports a plan that would provide relief to Ontario families by lowering income tax for middle-class families, decreasing taxes on home energy bills and scrapping eco-taxes on items such as light bulbs and computers.
To provide more job opportunities, Dekker would focus on helping small businesses. Among other things, he would increase apprenticeships and reduce red tape.