-Story by Toby Tannas Photography by Darren Hull

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Renee Merrifield Wasylyk and I meet on a brisk Saturday afternoon. She91裸聊视频檚 at home, so it91裸聊视频檚 not the power-suit-clad executive with that signature red lipstick who greets me; it91裸聊视频檚 a relaxed, makeup free, softer version of Renee who pours two glasses of VQA and invites me to her kitchen table.

This is home base for a busy, blended family of eight: Renee, her fiance Carlos, the five (mostly grown) children between them that come and go, and the adorable hound, Winston.

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I let Renee know my intention is not to write an article about her political aspirations, but as we talk and the conversation flows freely, I realize her passion for being a voice and bringing people together at the family, business and political levels is truly who she is at her core. We can91裸聊视频檛 91裸聊视频渘ot91裸聊视频� talk about it.

91裸聊视频淗onestly, I love it. I don91裸聊视频檛 love politicking, politics or shenanigans, but I love democracy,91裸聊视频� she says, leaning forward in her chair. 91裸聊视频淚 love the conversation, contrary ideas that have to be shared in order to figure out the consensus.91裸聊视频�

Renee is seeking the Conservative nomination in the federal riding of Kelowna-Lake Country. She doesn91裸聊视频檛 see herself as a politician; she prefers the word conduit.

91裸聊视频淚 am simply someone who can get people to the table. I91裸聊视频檓 not the one doing anything other than putting the pieces together.91裸聊视频�

Renee has been putting pieces together and asking the big questions since she was a child.

91裸聊视频淎t eight years old I asked my dad why there were no female presidents and he told me, 91裸聊视频榟oney, you can be the first female president of the United States of America.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� She chuckles at the memory, adding that this could never be the case as a Canadian citizen; however, the seed was planted.

91裸聊视频淚f I look back, that was one of the two moments in my life that told me it91裸聊视频檚 okay to be a change-maker.91裸聊视频�

The other inspiration came from a Rabbi professor at Concordia University. (Renee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and a Master of Theology)

91裸聊视频淗e said, 91裸聊视频楻enee, God is so big, He is not afraid of your questions, but also don91裸聊视频檛 be afraid when He asks you to change the world.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Renee has been enacting change, most notably on the Kelowna development scene, since she started Troika Developments in 1998. Based on her degrees and first career job as a Celebrative Arts Ministry Associate at Trinity Baptist Church, development wasn91裸聊视频檛 the obvious choice. It became a necessary choice as Renee faced the reality of financially supporting a young and growing family.

91裸聊视频淚 started working for a developer. I negotiated a land assembly. Then I started my own consultation business. It was the school of hard knocks, just learning on the go.91裸聊视频�

After just two and a half years of consulting on land assemblies, acquisitions, permits and contracts for other developers, Renee was ready to launch Troika 91裸聊视频� and she most definitely made waves.

91裸聊视频淲hen I launched, I had three projects. A 56-unit townhome development, a 44-unit apartment block and a mixed-use commercial site that I launched all at once,91裸聊视频� she says, shaking her head. 91裸聊视频淚 would never do it like that again, but it really put me on the map. Other developers where like, 91裸聊视频榃ho is she? Who does she think she is?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Renee says 91裸聊视频渟he91裸聊视频� is simply someone who listened to people who knew more than her; someone who accepted help when it was offered and someone who still lives by those principles today.

91裸聊视频淚 remember being overwhelmed by the kindness. If I was doing it wrong, they91裸聊视频檇 say, 91裸聊视频楻enee, you should do it this way.91裸聊视频� My network became my teachers and I still look at it that way.91裸聊视频�

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With 21 years in business under her belt and many business accolades, including Entrepreneur of the Year 91裸聊视频� Pacific Region, Most Influential Business Woman of the Year 91裸聊视频� BC, and two appearances on Canada91裸聊视频檚 list of the Top 100 Most Powerful Woman, Renee is ready to step into a new role.

91裸聊视频淲hen [Conservative Party Leader] Andrew Scheer came and asked me to run, that to me was an invitation to the table. So now I have an invitation to be able to affect change and that91裸聊视频檚 a pretty powerful invitation. I will also get to bring my community to a greater standing on the national stage. Who wouldn91裸聊视频檛 want to do that?91裸聊视频�

As of press time, no date for the Conservative nomination has been set, but Renee is actively talking to the people in her community as if she91裸聊视频檚 already representing them and loving every minute of it.

91裸聊视频淪hould I win the nomination, and you don91裸聊视频檛 do this because you think you91裸聊视频檙e going to lose91裸聊视频� she adds, 91裸聊视频淚 want to make sure the right people are part of the conversation. I91裸聊视频檓 meeting all these farmers, for example. My mind is blown 91裸聊视频� they have incredible stories and incredible knowledge. They should be at the table telling their story and allowing me to make it easier to build our economy with their businesses.91裸聊视频�

Renee91裸聊视频檚 family supports her decision to pursue the nomination. She smiles from ear to ear when I bring up her children. I wonder aloud what someone who expects so much of herself might expect from her kids.

91裸聊视频淚 have high expectations for them, but I91裸聊视频檓 not proud of them when they achieve something. I91裸聊视频檓 proud of them when they work hard, when they put in effort. I91裸聊视频檓 proud of them because of what they give to what they care about.91裸聊视频�

When it comes to pride, Renee91裸聊视频檚 fiance, Carlos, is brimming with it. The importance of that support is not lost on her.

91裸聊视频淭hat is sometimes a difficult thing for a man to be, but when you find the man who is happy to be your champion, cheerleader, lover and friend 91裸聊视频� you hold on to him tightly and you will do the same for him.91裸聊视频�

Carlos appears as if on cue. Our time is almost up as Renee has another function to attend. As I swallow the last of my wine and feel grateful that I am going home to enjoy a quiet night 91裸聊视频渋n,91裸聊视频� Renee seems just as enthusiastic about her night 91裸聊视频渙ut.91裸聊视频� An opportunity to meet more people, to listen as they share their stories and 91裸聊视频� as that cherished Rabbi professor told her all those years ago 91裸聊视频� to accept a role that may one day 91裸聊视频渃hange the world.91裸聊视频�