Shannon Miedema’s pursuit of positive change has taken her from the University of King’s College to the House of Commons as a Liberal MP. The Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) alum took home 63 per cent of the vote in April’s federal election, a historical victory in her riding of Halifax. 

But after completing her Master’s in Environmental Studies at Dalhousie in 2004, her future in the city was uncertain. Though she had completed two degrees on the subject and piled up student loans amounting to the “size of a small mortgage,” there were limited environmental opportunities in Halifax.

It was King’s that allowed her to stay. During her masters, Miedema had done well in a narrative non-fiction course taught by King’s professor Stephen Kimber, who suggested she look into King’s one-year BJ program. 

Miedema wanted to communicate about climate in ways that resonated with others, which she felt was lacking in the media landscape. 

“It was done so poorly for so long, by every major news outlet, or just not covered at all,” she said.

Knowing the urgency required to address the climate crisis, Miedema decided the BJ program would allow her to “present the facts” and sharpen her communication skills. Ultimately, the program would launch her into an impressive career, marked by Miedema’s dedication to leading on climate action. 

From passion to a plan

Miedema has always loved the environment. She grew up on the outskirts of Ottawa, but spent her holidays and weekends at her family cottage.

“All year round, we would go,” she said. “I spent all my time outside.”

Her love of nature became a focal point in high school. Through her school’s outdoor education program and environmental club, Miedema climbed the Adirondack mountains, canoed in Algonquin park and began partaking in environmental advocacy. 

Miedema was inspired; “I was like, this is what I need to be doing forever.” 

The eight month program at King’s helped her realize this ambition because it landed her a job in environmental consulting in Halifax. The employers liked that she had a background in science, but also knew “how to speak to people.”

After five years in environmental consulting, Miedema started working in climate action for Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). When HRM declared the city was in the midst of a climate emergency, due to climate change, in 2019, Miedema was there to help — she stepped in to manage the creation of HalifACT 2050, Halifax’s climate action plan.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it was unclear if the project would move forward. Miedema’s team was not sure if city council would be willing to commit significant funding needed for the plan to take off in the midst of the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

“We didn’t even know if we had job security,” Miedema told Quest Canada in 2021. 

But when she presented the plan to the city council in June of 2020, they approved it. Initially, no financial resources were committed due to the pandemic, but it was finally kickstarted in 2021 after a push from Miedema. 

HaliFACT aims for HRM to have a net-zero economy by 2050, meaning the municipality would avert or remove as much greenhouse gas as it produces. It is funded by a climate action tax on resident’s property tax bills. The plan intends for the municipality to increase their use of renewable energy, strengthen and invest in sustainable infrastructure and decarbonize the electric grid, among other goals. 

“It’s really detailed, it’s really scientific. We’re really excited,” Miedema said in a 2023 interview with CBC. 

HalifACT has gained national and international recognition. It was awarded Top Project by Canada’s Clean50 in 2023. Halifax has since been recognized for its sustainability measures by the Carbon Disclosure Project and ranked 11th among 70 cities in the 2023 Corporate Knights’ Sustainable Cities Index.

The plan also brought Miedema to the United Nations climate summit in 2022 and 2023, COP27 and COP28, where she promoted the inclusion of municipalities in sustainable development and climate policy.  

By the time she stepped away from her role as director of environment and climate, Miedema had grown HalifACT’s staff from two people to over 30 and won a Clean50 Individual award for her contributions to the project. 

“I call it my fourth child,” said Miedema.

“It was a big labor of love.”  

Political beginnings

Miedema’s pursuit of political office was not anticipated, at least by herself. When the position for Halifax mayor opened up in early 2024, a few individuals told Miedema she should run. She quickly shut down the idea.

Up until then, Mediema had never envisioned herself having a political career, but the suggestions to run municipally planted a seed.

“It kind of started getting my mind thinking … Could I ever be a politician? I was terrified.”

Then a second opportunity presented itself. After Andy Filmore, Halifax’s longtime MP, won HRM’s municipal election for mayor, Miedema’s friend approached her: the Liberal party needed a candidate to fill Fillmore’s position. 

At this point, Miedema had spent months considering if she was interested in running for elected office. And, after 15 years in the public service, she was starting to look towards broader horizons. She wanted to scale her impact as a champion for the environment, but also wanted to continue advocating for the city. As an MP, Miedema could do both. 

“I could fight for Halifax and represent Halifax, but even more broadly,” she said.

Miedema was also interested in bringing her experience to the “other side of the coin,” with the intention of bridging the gaps between local and national governments. 

Mediema officially pitched herself to the constituents of Halifax in February. She is now one of 117 new MPs on Parliament Hill.

Mediema is learning how to navigate the political scene. While she finds herself leaning on skills she’s developed throughout her career — such as her ability to build relationships with others and develop clear strategies — there are nuances in Ottawa that she is adjusting to. 

“Everybody kind of has something that they want,” she said. “That’s all a little bit different from my old world.” 

Miedema admitted that question period is a “very interesting thing” to sit through when the House is in session.

“I think people think that’s all we do,” she said. “That is a very small part of the day and the job, I promise.”

Alongside her regular duties as a MP, Miedema was appointed to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. The committee is made up of Liberals and the two opposition parties, the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois. They review legislation, policies and departmental operations of the Federal public service.

Miedema has also helped start a climate caucus within the Liberal party, which will allow its environmental advocates to push for progressive climate policy within their minority government.

“We’re just trying to be influential in good, positive ways,” she said. 

Home in Halifax

According to Miedema, the Halifax riding is “great” to represent. It’s vibrant, diverse and has a lot going on. 

Despite the uncertainties Haligonians and Canadians are facing overall — due to the United States’ tariff strategy and other crises Canada is navigating — Miedema has hope that there are silver linings in store. Halifax’s position as a port city, with offshore wind capacities and defence bases, will likely result in the city receiving considerable investments, which would provide more opportunities, according to Miedema.    

Miedema believes she’s continuing her ”lifelong mission” of using communication skills to create collective wins in her new role as a MP. These skills, which she honed in the BJ program at King’s, influence her approach to problem solving and advocating for her constituents in Halifax.

“Leading with optimism was something I always tried to do and it really, really works out,” she said. “Trying to translate that into being a Member of Parliament has been natural.”