Since being elected on May 28th, 2007, Cynthia Dunsford has been reaching out to her community of Stratford-Kinlock. She has been experiencing and learning about all that goes on in Stratford during the work day and school hours, and how the town comes alive during the evening hours when people flock to the places like the Town Centre, library, Cotton Centre, skating rinks and church halls.
She is currently sitting on several Legislative Standing Committees: Social Development, Community Affairs and Economic Development, Public Accounts and Agriculture, Forestry and Environment. Some of the issues before committees to date are: cosmetic pesticides; Sunday shopping; housing; future of agriculture. Cynthia is also on the Executive Council Strategic Planning Committee.
She was also appointed as PEI President of L’assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie, an international organization with representives from the Francophone countries of the world.
In June 2007, shortly after being elected, she established (and is now Chair of) the first Legislative Women’s Caucus on PEI.
Before Politics:
Community
Cynthia has extensive non-profit and volunteer experience. She has served on the board of the Queen Street Commons as a co-founding Director, as well as Vice-President of Squash PEI and committee chair of Tip to Tip for Africa PEI. Most recently, she sat on the National Board of the Townships Project, a micro-lending organization aiding entrepreneurs, primarily women, in the township areas outside East London, South Africa.
She has also served as President of Theatre PEI, and has volunteered with the PEI Conservatory teaching theatre arts to children. She also works as a coach and mentor with young people in sports developing skills and confidence. A competitive squash player and cyclist, Cynthia has acted as representative on the International Island Games Association Board. In 2004, at the age of 42, Cynthia was the Cycling PEI Female Mountain Biking Series Champion. As well, she founded BUG PEI (Bike User Group PEI), an advocacy group focused on the environmental and health benefits of cycling. An avid skier, Cynthia was a member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System for 5 years, volunteering at PEI’s Brookvale Provincial Ski Park.
Cynthia was a founding member of the Environmental Coalition of PEI and worked primarily on public education and awareness campaigns. She was instrumental in bringing the Waste Watch pilot program to her neighbourhood in Stratford, PEI. and continues to advocate cycling as a viable alternative to transportation. (She is often seen commuting from Stratford to Charlottetown on her bike sun or snow).
Career
Cynthia’s has made a career as a professional writer, actor and comedian on PEI for the past 12 years. During that time she has also worked in marketing and advertising for commercial radio and various promotional contracts. She has been self-employed her whole adult life, but for a 3 year stint with the Maritime Broadcasting Corporation.
Most known for her popular weekly commentary on CBC Radio, Parkdale Doris, Cynthia has enjoyed a six year run as PEI’s first lady of irreverent chatter on all things social, political and marital. Her comedy roots stem from her work in the Drill Queens, a PEI based comedy troupe who spent six years touring their sketch shows in festivals and theatres in the Maritimes and beyond, as well as appearances on national television and radio.
Before and during her career as an actor/comedian Cynthia she also employed herself as a home renovator, human resource manager, ad writer, events producer, social entrepreneur and fitness instructor. She is currently an active member of the PEI Business Women’s Association and the Queen Street Commons.
Cynthia grew up in Moncton, New Brunswick and first came to the Island to attend UPEI in 1980. There she met her husband, Wayne Dunsford, and was married in 1983. Cynthia and Wayne have two grown children, Ashley and Ian.
