My Name Is Aldona. And This Is My Home.
October 5th, 2026
My name is Aldona.
It is a Lithuanian name, a reminder of my heritage and the generations who came before me. I am proud of that heritage, just as I am proud to be Canadian.
During this municipal election campaign, I have received comments suggesting that because I have a foreign-sounding name, my roots aren't here, my family hasn't been here for generations, or I somehow don't belong.
My parents' generation, and those that followed, have been in Wasaga Beach for decades. Our Church and Community Centre at Mosley/51st was built by volunteers approximately 80 years. Our Camp Kretinga was opened in 1955 by way of donation of 24 acres of land and has operated every year since that time. I spent many happy summers as a camper, and than a camp counsellor.
Memories of summer camp are memories many of us share.
I want to share a little of my story.
A MEMORY FROM GRADE 2
I still remember my first day of Grade 2. My teacher, Mrs. Burns, asked me, “What country are you from?”
I remember the confusion I felt. I didn't understand the question. I was born in Toronto. Toronto was home. Why was she asking me what country I was from?
I went home and asked my parents what the question meant.
They explained that I was born in Toronto, but that my name, Aldona, was an old and respected name in Lithuania, the country of our heritage. They also told me that I had been named after a deceased aunt I had never met.
I was only a little girl, but that moment stayed with me. I didn't have the words for it then, but I remember the confusion and shame I felt about something I hadn't understood.
Today, decades later, I understand something I wish every child could grow up knowing: you should never have to feel ashamed of your name, your heritage or your family's history.
CANADIANS COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
Former Mayor of Dawson City, Yukon - Wayne Potoroka - spoke about the idea that Canadians come from all over the world. That principle speaks to the heart of our country's story: Canada has been shaped by people with different backgrounds, histories, languages and traditions.
And look at Wasaga Beach.
We are a community of people whose stories began in many different places. Some families have lived here for generations. Others arrived from somewhere else in Ontario, another province or another country.
Some of us carry our heritage in our names. Others carry it in our family traditions, our languages, our food, our music or the stories passed down by our parents and grandparents.
Each brings a different history, a different perspective and something of value to our community.
Our diversity is not something that divides us. It is part of what makes us a community.
Having generations of family history in Wasaga Beach is something to celebrate. So is choosing Wasaga Beach as the place to build a life, raise a family, contribute, volunteer, open a business or retire.
Neither makes one resident more deserving of respect than another.
You can be born in Toronto, have Lithuanian roots, be proudly Canadian and call Wasaga Beach home. None of those things cancels out the others.
MY NAME IS ALDONA. AND THIS IS MY HOME.
I am running for Council because I care about the future of this town and the people who live here.
I want us to have thoughtful conversations, practical solutions and a Council that listens to residents, regardless of their background, their income, their age or how long they have lived here.
We don't have to share the same ancestry, the same opinions or the same life experiences to work together for a better community.
We simply have to recognize that we belong to the same community today — and that its future belongs to all of us.
I am proud of my Lithuanian heritage. I am proud to be Canadian. And I am proud to call Wasaga Beach home.
I hope we can build a community where no child — and no adult — feels they have to explain or defend their name before they are accepted.
It's been wonderful being interviewed by Frank Stanisci and Prahbat Pandey. Through these interviews, you can get to know me and my ideas.
Candid Frank YouTube interview:
Prahbat Pandey YouTube interview:
Wasaga Beach: A Great Place to Visit. An Even Better Place to Live.
Thanks for listening!
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