Megan Walker

Megan Walker (born August 31, 1961) is the executive director of the London Abused Women's Centre in London, Ontario, Canada, a community activist, a former AM radio co-host and also a former member of London City Council from 1994-2000, representing Ward 6.

During her two, three-year terms on city council, Walker chaired the Community and Protective Services Committee, the Environment and Transportation Committee, the Middlesex-London Board of Health, the London Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse and the Taxi Driver Safety Task Force.

Exposes municipal corruption

Of note during Walker's first term on city council in 1995 was her willingness to go to the police after being offered money (several months after the deadline to donate to municipal election campaigns had expired) just prior to a committee vote on a key planning matter regarding the city's urban growth boundary in west London. Of three members of city council offered money, Walker was the only person to contact the police.

Subsequently, former alderman/ London Hydro chairperson George Avola was convicted on three counts of municipal corruption after a week-long trial in 1997.

Fought for branch library service

Walker first became a community activist in the early 1990s when she resided in old east London and successfully fought to keep the area's Carson Branch Library open.

In 1992, Walker received the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal honouring Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, to their community or to Canada.

Co-hosted radio show with husband

Walker is married to veteran London Free Press sports columnist, Morris Dalla Costa, with whom she co-hosted the Megan and Morris in the Morning radio show on CJBK from 9 a.m. to 12 noon from September 2004 to February 2006.

NDP candidate in federal by-election

Walker was the New Democratic Party candidate in the federal riding of London North Centre for the November 27, 2006, by-election called to fill the vacancy created when longtime Liberal Member of Parliament Joe Fontana resigned from the Canadian House of Commons to run in the 2006 mayoral election in London.

Walker placed 4th, to the chagrin of her volunteers. Polls had shown that Walker was receiving support in the 40% range before the final days of the campaign.

Electoral Record

With 253 of 253 polls reporting, the official by-election results from Elections Canada are as follows:

• 38,123 of 89,139 registered electors voted (42.8 per-cent turnout)

By-election, November 27, 2006
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Glen Pearson	13,287	34.84%	-5.27%
	Green	Elizabeth May	9,864	25.87%	+20.38%
	Conservative	Dianne Haskett	9,309	24.42%	-5.48%
	New Democrat	Megan Walker	5,388	14.13%	-9.62%
	Progressive Canadian	Steven Hunter	145	0.38%	-0.09%
	Independent	Robert Ede	77	0.20%	-
	Canadian Action	Will Arlow	53	0.14%	-
Total			38,123	100.00%

External links

• Walker handed NDP banner, LFP, October 21, 2006
• Walker wins NDP nomination in a stunning turn of events www.altlondon.org
• Walker ready for another fight, LFP, October 21, 2006
• London Abused Women's Centre's Web site

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Name	Walker, Megan
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Date of birth	August 31, 1961
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