Lisa Bower talks Journey on Ajax Council, Overcoming Cancer, & Unique Approach to Politics

In the latest season of TOA Talks, our host Sterling Lee sits down with Lisa Bower a Councillor for Ward 3 to discuss topics such as her unique approach to politics, journey on Ajax Council, overcoming cancer, childhood stardom, and inspiring change through service.

Join us as we discuss the Town of Ajax. Throughout each season we will be sitting down with the amazing people who make up the Town, from TOA staff and Council Members, to community leaders and small business owners.

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Transcript

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I find your ability to overcome adversity has very much, driven the way you do politics, I am very happy that I decided to make this leap into municipal government. weren't you a television star as well? Why, yes, Sterling, as a matter of fact, I love this story. what do you love about volunteering like that? Makes you want to kind of keep doing it? there's an inkling of, well, I gotta help there or I want to be part of that, about You are a twin, are you not? I am a twin. Yeah. I if you can describe your journey in Ajax Council in three words, what would they be. And why? Hoo Welcome to another episode of TOA Talks, The Town of Ajax podcast, where we get to meet fascinating individuals. my name is Sterling Lee. I'll be your host today. And with me, I, we have a very, very special guest, my friend, Lisa Bower Lisa, how are you doing? Good morning. I'm doing great. How are you? I'm wonderful. Lisa, you were the Councilor for Ward three this is your sixth year, correct? Correct. Has four so far. What have you learned? What have I learned? How do I feel? I feel great, right? I am very happy that I decided to make this leap into municipal government. because I had never thought that I would do this right. So I feel like I have learned a ton. I felt like I was going back to school. I have learned that there are many issues that, our residents are passionate about, and they want to be engaged and involved. And there's so much involved in being a member of council. if someone correct me if I'm wrong. You were actually, you were born and raised kind of in Ajax. Then you went to Toronto, right? Right. So I was born here, right at the hospital. My parents, my mom's doctor was out here, so, But I was raised, I was, I lived and was raised in Toronto. York. Yeah. Okay. Near, don a mechanical area, then you made it back to Ajax, and then I moved here. We went we came back here in 1999 when I had my second child, my daughter Emma, and we were hoping to buy a house at that point. And we just we couldn't afford to live in Toronto, so we did not want to go out west. So we came out east and we stopped in Ajax. was it was, was the option to go to Mississauga or Ajax or like, kind of shopping. Well, yeah. We thought about either West Mississauga or maybe a little North Aurora, but there was something that just a little north was like super dark to us to the East end. And and Ajax was our first choice. so you were, kind of in, Toronto for your formative years for a lot of it. And then, if I'm not mistaken, and correct me if I'm wrong, weren't you a television star as well? Why, yes, Sterling, as a matter of fact, I love this story. So tell us about this. I'm far from a star. No, I was told you have a you have a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame. Oh, yeah. I really like to know where it is. yeah. So my, my parents were my mum in particular was really involved, in the community and just getting us kids, like, I have three sisters. So we there were four of us. We're all two years apart. And, she just wanted to get us into all kinds of activities and things, and of course, she can't. We didn't have a lot of money, so, she couldn't just throw us at camp and things like that. So she did find a choir. Canadian children's choir. It was called. so we all joined that, and there was like 100 kids or so, and we sang and, you know, the opening anthem at, the exhibition or at concerts or we were on TV shows, like there was a show called The Tommy Hunter show. And so all those things we did, which just led to, doing commercials and voiceovers and, and then it led to, a show called Kids World, which was kind of like a, like a news type of story where children would interview other children about their special some, you know, things that they knew how to do or that, that they were involved in. So I was a host of a show called Kids World. You were a host? I was a co-host. There was four of us. So was, Mark Godwin, Keith Singer, Amber Perry, P and me. I, I do keep in touch with them. No, we don't, but you got to look them up on Facebook. I don't, I don't see I tried googling them. Amber stayed in that industry. She works last I knew, she was, traffic reporter and news or news report or something like that on city. City TV. Okay, but Mark and Keith, I don't know what what became of them, but it would have been nice, actually. And in hindsight, we should have kept in touch. So did you beat your other sisters out for that audition? No, they didn't audition for that. Okay. There was one commercial for, Ontario Place for Children's Village that two of my sisters. I wanted to be in that one, too, but I didn't get it. But my other two sisters did. So, and just one last point that your sister is interesting about You are a twin, are you not? I am a twin. Yeah. I don't think a lot of people know that. Fraternal twins. So I have an older sister Wendy, a younger sister Leslie, and then my other sister is Tina. So Tina and I are twins. We're five minutes apart. She's older. fraternal. so it was kind of fun, like growing up in elementary and high school, especially where everybody just thought we were best friends because we were always together. But we were sisters. Do you have that twin link? Yes. So it's like, if she's in distress, do you feel that? And be like, I have to help her. Kind of like, Luke and Leia in Star Wars, Wonder Twins powers active. So actually, yes we do. It's not all the time, but there was one time in particular, so I was probably, maybe in my late 20s, early 30s, and I worked downTown at that time at the bank, and I was on my lunch break outside, sitting on the steps you saw, I'll just go get street meet and then sit on the steps. And I had been feeling kind of off all day, but I couldn't pinpoint why. So I was just sitting there. I'm like, what is wrong? Like, it just was weird killing me. Usually pretty good at figuring out what's wrong or whatever. And then I learned I won't go into the details, but I learned that something terrible had happened with my sister. That's crazy. And I was like, that is exactly why you felt like it was. It wasn't like, oh, something feels off. It was like, something is wrong. I give it the dreaded yeah. So as I learned later, it was because of what was happening with my sister. And I know that that was, So, when you, so you you actually, had a pretty serious fight against cancer, right? Yes, I did, did she feel that? Inversely. Do you ever talk to her, be like, did you feel that I was kind of sick or off? I never asked her those questions. Correct. So, in 2010, I was diagnosed with cancer. It was a long story. It was kind of crazy. and I ended up from the doctor's office to the ER to being admitted, and, so you're not you're not planned or prepared for any of that, right? Right. Right near Emma's birthday, there was so much social and family stuff going on. You just kind of it all falls away. So luckily, I have such a great, strong, support network with family and friends. So I ended up being in the hospital for 77 days. Wow. Which might sound like, 77. It's nothing, but the parking alone is 11 weeks. I used to, they asked me to speak at my kid's school when I got home, like, after I lost my voice to. So once I was, you know, better. I was like. So to put it in perspective for the kids, I was like, that's like, all of summer break and more. Yeah. And that's when the kids were like, wow, right? So I lost my voice. The cancer was all here. It was non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Okay. so I had to have a break, too. I lost my voice, lost my hair, all that stuff that cancer, can cause, So my sisters, God love them, came to visit me every day, so they had to pay a lot for. Yeah, hopefully they carpooled. Yeah. Yeah. They did. Okay, so there's a couple funny stories because you you really try hard not to feel down. Of course. And you, you're scared, but you don't want to show your kids, especially that you're scared. And how old are your kids at this point? So at that time. So it was 2010. So Emma would have just turned 11. Okay. And Gav would have been 15. So it's pretty scary. So it's pretty young. and luckily, you know, our we have some wonderful neighbors. So Gav was playing football at that time. So, you know, his coach and friends really helped him through that. And Emma had all her little girlfriends and, you know, family etc. but and I remember when I first entered the hospital, so I have four nieces and nephews on my like on my family side, I have three on the other side. And so one day they all came to visit me. So there was six little kids. Gavin's the oldest, and then they go down from there and my little nephew Liam, God love him. So we're sitting there and they're kind of visiting me, I look sick, my voice isn't really they're still there at the time because it was near the beginning and he just sucks at me. And they call me Auntie Lou is my nickname. And he's like, Angelo, are you going to die? Like, just so serious, right? And and that was probably like, because people tend to tread lightly. Yeah. Of course, any person who's suffering a personal illness. So it was kind of nice to be hit in the face like that and to realize, to remember that often children don't have those filter, those filters and those guards. Right. So it's better you don't give them, you know, inappropriate or age inappropriate information, but you just tell the truth. Yeah. So, to which some of are you. I still don't have that filter. Yeah, well, I would argue that. Thank you. So anyway, my question your question was about my sister. So teen we never talked about that twin link. Right. But there was a there was a time when. So I had several different roommates. I was in a semi-private room and, you know, you end up talking a little bit or hearing their stories and they would find out mine because I would before I lost my voice, I'd be on the phone telling, you know, people this was going on. And then I would get a new roommate and then I would get another roommate because they were all getting discharged and I wasn't even in care. So, yeah, they could have asked, because you're quite right. It could have been like, oh, it wasn't serious. I'm fine. Let me go out of here. So there was one time in particular where the girl beside me had been in the hospital for a long time, and she was telling me about it, and she kept waiting for that. Okay. From the doctor. And then I think she finally got it after like 65 days or something like that. So I took that in my mind that, okay, so I just have to wait 65, 45 and I'm going to get the okay, like we did not have the same illness or anything, but it was just that coping thing. Right? My right. Optimism. So the 65 day or whatever it was came and went and I was heartbroken. Yeah. And so teen came to visit me. She was on our own that day. And we were sitting there talking and I'm getting emotional talking about this. And so I was trying to tell her, like I was so disappointed and I really thought of and I'm, I don't know why. And so she just she's so smart. My sister is it's quite funny because like, I'm a chitty chatty. She is not, I excelled at social studies, social science, arts, English. She's a math science fact person. So we we helped each other. She went to Western. I went to Trent. I would help her with her essay. She would help me with my math. Like it was perfect. So she just kind of. And she always drops us wisdom bombs just when you need them. And she's like, no, we're not going to be worried about this. We're gonna we're like, she just had those words. And I was just exactly what you needed. Exactly the message that I needed to hear that day, because I was that day in particular was just awful because you had a goal in your mind. And then I just thought, oh, yeah, she's getting out. I think she's sicker than me. So I should be getting at like that kind of stuff. Right. And it was a bit afterwards anyways that you got up. Right. Yeah. It was that. So it may not have been 65 because I remember whatever the whatever it was, it was I that day I took that as my deadline and, and then it went right anyway. No, it's it's, I always like that story about you because, Yeah. I I find your ability to overcome adversity has very much, driven the way you do politics, for instance, observing you as a peer and just like, yeah, you kind of take on a cause and you have a no, I never say die attitude about it. And you're just like, let's just do this like it's it's what people need and what they want, right? Thank you. Yeah. What I have been called a Pollyanna in my life. I have been called naive. I have been called a unicorn. Right. in this game of politics, to put it, you know, that's the blunt side. the way I sometimes interact or deal, I have been, somebody I respect very much said, you know, you are very refreshing to bring that. Like, I'm not trying to brag, but, like, you sound like, what are the nice things you people talk radio. Yeah, let me tell you. No, but I, I think it might be because I have no political inclination. Like, I didn't go into this job with any of that, and I never studied, you know, municipality per se. I took poly sine I didn't study, I didn't, so I don't think there's really any kind of. Yeah, right. Textbook. I didn't go in for all of that. There's there can be I, I do not like the reputation. the apologies that people give to politicians, I don't I, I feel that maybe there is some truth to it for some Trump. I get very it certainly isn't the case for why I do this job. So, like, that's a tough part if you ask me about some of the pros and cons, That would be a con being labeled with that. Yeah, yeah. With that broad brush. well, I mean, outside of politics, you also do some really good nonprofit work. I think you've helped feed the need. The Canadian Cancer Society, obviously. girls inks. so what do you love about volunteering like that? Makes you want to kind of keep doing it? Oh, that came from, my parents, particularly my mother. So we just grew up in a house where, service is, you know, we're here, you know, to live your life and go to school and be good people. But it's all about serving others, and I truly believe that. So, When I, when I see these great organizations or good causes or things that I'm where there's an inkling of, well, you know what? I gotta help there or I want to be part of that, or let's even just as much as just spreading the word, there's a group that does this. Or why don't you look into this? Or I love when people ask me about volunteering opportunities because there's so much available out there, right? Right. So in Ajax, especially in aging. Right. So that came from my parents, who just taught us it's about, helping others. Great. And so we've talked about just kind of less, the more kind of serious side that kind of formed you as a politician. And then your, nonprofit work. Volunteer work. tell me about Lisa, the fun. Lisa Bower, the fun person. Tell me about you know. Oh, well, what do you what do you what do you do for fun? What do I do for fun? So it's Friday. Saturday night. I mean, your kids have left, and that's so they're adults, right? So you just. You hit the clubs. What do you what do you do? You get some bottle service, you know? Yes. How did you. Yeah. Right. But what does Lisa do for fun. So it's funny because I really do like I enjoy my, solitude. Like, I like, I recharge by just sort of zoning in and so but it turns out, that I really do thrive on. I get that energy from other people too, right? So I, I don't have a large group of friends, but I have a very solid, loyal group of friends. so Fridays are pretty mellow because you're tired from the workweek. You just want to relax. I'm out of my house a lot, so I want to be home with the dog. Oh, great. Catch up on whatever I need to catch up on, but I typically try and socialize, go for dinner, go on a patio, go to a movie, go, you know, are you a live music person or, you know, like I do love live music. it's hard to talk when you go to see live music. So when I'm trying to catch up, like I also have really solid girlfriend relationships. So those are very important because, you know, you live longer with good friends and with good girlfriends. And if you laugh every day. So I believe that. Do you consider me one of your good girlfriends? You are one of my good girlfriends. Yes. But you know, laughter for sure. Like, my friends and I, we're very silly. We're all, you know, mature older adults with kids and businesses, etc. but we're ridiculous when we hang out together. Good. so we're all going to live long because we just laugh, right? Right. So yeah, it's pretty normal. And I'm on my set. My daughter, so my son Gavin and Isa, my daughter in law, have beautiful Ray, my first grandchild. So that's a lot of time. Like spending is central, right? Because she's just so precious. so there, reminding me of how great, like, how awesome it was to be a young family and raise your kids and how important your neighborhood and community is. So I think just remembering the good parts of it, the good parts, because you get to drop off and then go to sleep and then that's, that's kind of the giving. That's tough parts. It's a nice I feel that my job is to remind them that they're doing a great job, and that this is just such a short period of time doesn't feel that way when you're living it for so long. But once it's done, you're like, I can't believe it, right? So that's a great reminder for me with them. And then my daughter Emma is my, like, I'm really inspired by her and her, advocacy, her advocacy, her personality, her her gumption, her, free. So I, she gets me to do the brave things like doing the edge walk at central. Right. Going to the blind, the tasting, the the restaurant where you eat. I forget what it's called. It was fantastic where you're eating in complete darkness. Right. And that's where you appreciate you don't you don't understand when someone who cannot see, how do they live their lives. Right. If closing your eyes doesn't do it right. so she gets me to do all those things when I learn to be a skier and do, like, serious downhill mogul things. That was Emma, right? Like, okay, so I'm in camp too, but certainly I admire I really enjoy hanging out with Emma and it's she lives in Ottawa, so it's a little bit it might be because she's so far away that I like every time she comes home, I'm like, yeah, yeah, let's cancel everything. I'm at home right now. She wouldn't buy it. She'd roll on, like hearing this. She would roll her eyes at me. And, you know, I'm always the butt of the jokes when we all are together, I. I love spending time with my, adult kids and their partners and family. So it's that we're solid. So we've heard, you mentioned just music very quickly. Just out of curiosity, one Councilor said the Beatles is a favourite musical act. Another one said, train. Who's your favourite musical group? Solo. Oh, boy. So that changes all the time. Currently. currently I'm not saying that to be current, but just right now. What do you study? I love wild Beatles, of course. Right. I was in grade eight when John Lennon died, and that was I had three other girlfriends and we all used to play the Beatles at recess. I was Paul McCartney. We really needed we needed cell phones. There was back then, I know, I like great big C, I like, oh, actually, somebody I just started hearing because of Ray. there's a singer called Christina Perry. Yes. Who? I knew who she was, but I guess she has children. And so for each child, she has recorded these. Christina Perry, remind me, what was her big song? Was it? I think it's Jar of Heart. Yes. Okay. M I used to sing that song, so she recorded these lullabies. You know who's the best version of that song? By the way, who is Mark Holland of John Parks? Yeah. And he's going to kill me for smashing the not a little maker. Yes. he just, he sings it in a very haunting way because he's a very, very, actually deep voice. Right. So it's just like, Yeah. Anyone he's, he's sang that song for in karaoke. They're just like, what is going on? Like, why am I crying right now? Yes. That's just I don't know that out. They're awesome. Yeah. so she recorded these like, lullaby album. Okay. For the kids, right? Right. So I've only learned them because of Raya and that sort of her, you know, playlist for bedtime or for relaxing or whatever. And they're beautiful. Like, she's a good singer, beautiful, great singer. So I don't know if I have I hear stuff, I forget stuff. It's when you're playing, something will come on, I'll be like, oh my gosh, I love that song. I say to the kids, who's five? I do like my kids ability to interpret almost any thing that I ask, like those weird non-sequiturs song that, oh, I sing like, you know, that song I like, and then I'll do like a couple and they're like, yeah, mom, it's this one, right? So, so I love all kinds of music. Okay, good to know. Yeah. so we've been on council for, I guess six years and change now. what are some key achievements that you're especially proud of? So, you know, it's been six years. We may not have changed the world, but we're trying. Yeah. What are some things that Lisa Bower especially proud of? Thank you for that question. So, yeah, there's lots of things I like going back because a year happened so fast. Right? Right. And moments happened so quickly where a heated or something really, hot is in the on social media, in the news, around our watercooler for a couple of weeks and you think it's everything and then it's gone. Yep. Six months later you're like, remember that time we talked about something? So, a few things. So, it was in first term where, a couple things that I was, on the, Accessibility Advisory Committee, and we talked about how to how to make Ajax a little more inclusive for everyone. So I helped introduce, the picture exchange communication boards, tech boards at the parks, at Rotary Park. I think there is one that in is there one at oddly. So. So those are the big boards with the pictures. So for non-verbal children or people who are children or people who have, difficulty communicating in a language way, they can point, they can point at pictures. So, I was very I'm very proud of that. And I know that some families are really getting good use and appreciate Ajax offering that so their kids can play in the park too, as well as a smart park, down at Paradise Park that has a Bieber playground. So, that came as an idea for me because everybody is on their phones all the time. And when you go to the park, parents or kids are also on their phones while they're playing in the park. So this is a game where you scan a QR code at the park and it gives you, these virtual like scavenger hunts. So great. Or activities that use the equipment. It's very interactive. And I thought, that's a great tool. It was. I had seen it at another park, so I was able to get it to a park in Ajax. I'm pretty proud of that. community safety wise. There's a, something that just passed recently that's been staff have been studying it for a little bit. So for installing, solar lighting in pathways, right, in neighborhoods, etc.. So there's, a pilot of one lighting system per ward coming soon. So for us in Ward three, it's just down the road here, off of Andrea. There's a nice pedestrian walkway, so that'll have some lighting to just make it a little safer. Ward two and Ward one also have some coming. And then the other one, which was around maybe a little bit, either during or during Covid or maybe a little after was again about accessibility. And it was a different way. Yes, it was, because when everybody was driving down to the waterfront to come to the water and it was just cars galore, packed galore, and not everybody could get that access. Right. So I was able to, work with Durham Region Transit to get, a bus route along the waterfront. Great. That made stops at rotary just here at Veterans Park and at Paradise. Super cool. So it ran for a couple summers. I don't think it's running anymore right now. Let's bring it back. It may come back. You never know. Right? Because what you doesn't know, we have a lakefront. Sometimes I learned that. Ajax stops at Costco. Yeah, which is a good stock too. Yes, it's the best. Yeah. So this question is an odd one. we'll we'll tweak it a bit. So the question is if you can describe your journey in Ajax Council in three words, what would they be. And why? let's do a sentence. If you can describe the experience in a sentence, what would it be? My experience as a Councilor or. Okay. Hoo I okay, I have learned that you cannot do everything. You really can't do anything by yourself. communication and collaboration amongst council and with Town staff and with key, stakeholders. I guess, if that's the best way to get it done. Anything you like. I guess it goes back to the volunteering and the serving and, that you, me, myself and I, good luck. Right. But if you are part of a team and you really put forth that selfless effort because it's the right thing to do, you can get stuff done. And so I don't know if that has a hell of a lot I sometimes. So I that's my committee call. That was I run on Sundays, young lady I know I was brutal for that. So that's a hard question I should have. No no no. Yeah. Got it. Yeah. Can you do it in three words. Three words. My journey. Yeah. Eat. Pray. Love. Dedication. Okay. That's better. Dedication. experience. Experience. Leadership. Okay. Those are good ones. so we have actually reached the end of our time together. this has been always, again, I always have a ton of fun with you, at least, so I appreciate that right back at you. What is the best way for listeners, residents to connect with you on social media? with me, I prefer email LisaBower@Ajax.ca Okay. texting, is also good for phoning. I take a little bit longer. This is something that I need to work on. Is, I'm not great at responding quickly to phone calls. Not don't I know, like, no, I know, but definitely email, texting, phone, social media. Yes, I will I, I see social media. I may not see it as quickly as others or respond as quickly, but I try to see everything. But that's hard, right? Right. So probably. Yeah. So then do you remember your socials off, off the top of your head? at least Lisa for Ajax. but, wonderful time as always. thank you. Lisa Bower Councilor Ward three for the Town of Ajax. I'm your host, Sterling Lee. Thank you for another wonderful interview. And there's been another episode of TOA Talks. Thank you. Bye.