Canadians for Obama is a group that stands for Progressive views, Grassroots organizing and Diverse membership. With the elections successfully over we have re-organized our efforts.
Having these three values and holding true to what Obama has called for (a change in how we do politics), aids us in accomplishing our three main objectives:
- Policy Development - draft and present policies that protect human rights and deal with Canadian/US relations
- Political Engagement - encourage and empower our fellow Canadians to get more actively involved in the political process (whether in a partisan or non-partisan way).
- Community Service - organize social and volunteering events for our community to get more connected and engaged within our own communities.
We would love to hear from you! If you are interested in joining our progressive group we’d love to have you. Also if you have any ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us
About Us
Learn a little more about the Canadians for Obama team, see our photos and brief biographies and read what we thought of volunteering for Obama in Washington State caucuses. There were 17 Canadians on that trip and hopefully each and every one’s story will be posted here once all the bios are in.
Ajay Puri
Co-founder & Acting Chair
Ajay was wooed by Sen. Obama’s speech at the 2004 convention. Obama’s slogan of hope and change has made Ajay addicted to assisting the campaign at home and in the US. &wuot;It is just amazing to see Obama engage all citizens from the young to the old, it’s truly inspirational!". Mr. Puri had also volunteered on Obama’s campaign in Washington State with the Canadian delegation.
Ajay is actively involved in the community as a social activist (helping those in the Downtown Eastside), as a mentor with UBC’s tri-mentoring programs and volunteering in municipal, provincial and federal politics. Ajay has completed his Masters in Health Administration at UBC and is currently working as a research consultant with the Centre for Addictions Research of BC and as a Decision Support Analyst at Providence Health Care. He would like to work in the fields of health service and policy research.
Andriy Mishchenko
Co-founder & Web Designer
Andriy is originally from Ukraine and was an international election monitor during that country’s 2004 elections. He has worked and volunteered on municipal and federal election campaigns in Vancouver. He loves grassroots movements, having helped out as an online organizer for Vancouver rallies in support of Ukraine, created a "Search To Help" search engine to raise money for charities, and brought out the youth vote with Get Your Vote On. In his spare time from work in IT and non-profit fundraising, Andriy loves travelling the world, photography and blogging about local events. You can find him on Facebook.
Andriy’s Stories from the Trail:
Perhaps what stood out the most about the trip to Washington was the sheer energy. It’s a cliche, but very true that the Obama movement empowers people and makes them feel like their thoughts and votes really count for something. I am frequently reminded of the man who approached us when we were leaving the caucus location. He told us he had long doubted that Obama would amount to anything, but when he saw just how much people believed in him, he was gaining faith himself. Another priceless moment many of us shared was meeting the five- or six-year-old boy, so earnest in support of Barack Obama that he just had to see the volunteer office for himself. I’m sure as the trip sinks in more, I will remember other moving moments…
Braeden Caley
Co-founder & Political Organizer Extraordinaire
Braeden was drawn to supporting Obama by his campaign’s incredible message of unity and by the idea that the Oval Office could be occupied by a President who, like Braeden and millions worldwide, participated in rallies against the US-led War in Iraq. He has volunteered for Barack in Snohomish County, Washington, and Terrant County (Forth Worth), Texas.
Braeden is in his final year of studies in Political Science at the University of British Columbia. He got involved in Canadian Federal politics through the Liberal Party at the age of 13, and has since helped push key progressive policies through its influential Youth Commission. He has served as an aide to a federal Cabinet Minister and Opposition Critic in a number of portfolios, and is President of the BC section of the Young Liberals of Canada. He enjoys activism, the outdoors, travel, and unique Vancouver hang-out spots..
Braeden’s Stories from the Trail:
My most exciting experience on the trail was meeting Barack himself in Carrollton Texas. A small group of volunteers from our team and a few from California had the chance to head over to a small, relatively intimate town hall meeting with Barack at a nearby high school. Immediately after he was introduced to the crowd, Obama walked to his left and came immediately over to shake my hand and the hands of the many others waiting to meet him. I told him how much I appreciated his opposition to the War in Iraq and his support for measures to fight climate change! He seemed just as genuine and sincere in those few seconds, holding perfect eye contact, as he comes across in so many of his most inspiring and amazing speeches. I knew right then that I was meeting one of the most important world leaders of our time.
Glyn Lewis
Co-founder & Policy Committee Chair
Glyn is currently completing his last semester at Simon Fraser University with a focus in Sustainable Community Development. Before joining the Obama for America campaign trail in Iowa and Washington State, he had been actively involved in organizing and advocating for issues such as: accessible post secondary education, sustainable mass transportation alternatives and the eradication of poverty. When asked to describe his ethos in a few words he replies, "I was baptized Greek Orthodox at a church in the shadow of the Acropolis". When not devoting himself to improving the lives of others Glyn enjoys playing soccer, exploring, drinking beer, and hanging out with friends and family.
Glyn’s Stories from the Trail:
The fire that kept a jump in my step along the trail was the stories I would hear from ever day people who held a faith that despite all odds and struggles a better day awaits if we work hard for it, if we truly believe in the audacity of hope.
In Iowa I talked to one man on the phone who had lost his Maytag factory job of 20 some years because the owners decided it would be best to relocate to Mexico. He told me that he was a hard working person deeply devoted to his family, and then broke down in tears. He thanked the rising generation, my generation, for our colour blind willingness to dedicate our energy to serving a greater purpose, by respecting and empowering others.
From the sounds of it he was going to caucus for Barack.
The 1989 block buster hit movie, "The Field of Dreams" was fittingly filmed in a town not to far from where our Obama for America Marshalltown office was located. On the plane ride home, three days after the monumental victory and raucous celebrations, I looked down at the snow capped fields of Iowa and hoped that the regardless of who takes the democratic nomination that the principles, convictions and passions which I saw in thousands of people who believed in their ability to improve our world would ripple from the plains of the Midwest to the Pacific Ocean, and beyond.
Jason Lamarche
Member-at-Large
Energized by the vision & policies put forth by Barack Obama, Jason travelled to Washington to show his support for the Obama movement and to learn more about the American electoral system..
Jason’s Stories from the Trail:
Coming Soon …
Ben Lee
Member-at-Large
Aman Bains
Member-at-Large
Michael Watts
Member-at-Large
Katie Skinner
Member-at-Large
Katie Skinner is currently completing her J.D. at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law. Prior to law school, Katie completed her BA in Political Science at the University of Ottawa. From 2004-2006, she was Special Assistant at the Office of Mark Holland, MP. Katie has also worked with the Town of Ajax in a number of capacities including as Camp Director, Coordinator and Dance Instructor. Katie is trained in the arts and has performed and taught music and dance. She has performed before Queen Elizabeth and performed with Donny Osmond. In 2006, she was an international volunteer teaching English and Math at Moivaro Primary School and Vision Learning Centre in Tanzania. During the summer of 2008, Katie worked as a law student at a firm in Toronto where she will begin her articles in July 2009. She also completed a secondment to the Ontario Human Rights Commission where she assisted on cases dealing with such human rights law matters as disability discrimination, sexual harassment and racial profiling. Katie is passionate about public education and has campaigned actively for increased funding for post-secondary institutions. She is currently a volunteer tutor in a Vancouver elementary school for the One-to-One Literacy Society. In addition to her interests in the arts, Katie also enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Katie was first inspired by Barack Obama after his monumental speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. After reading both of his books and witnessing the launch of his Presidential campaign, she became convinced that the movement led by Obama was not just a domestic political campaign in the United States but a much larger and more powerful catalyst for grassroots progressive change that had the power to transcend borders and fundamentally change politics globally. Katie first campaigned with Obama for America in Washington State followed by Texas and Virginia. She looks forward to continuing on this journey with her fellow members of Canadians for Obama as we spread the message of hope here at home.
Clement Apaak
Member-at-Large
