Born in Woodville Mills, Prince Edward Island,[2] she worked as a cook, as an office clerk and as an employee of the Bank of Montreal prior to her career in politics.[2]
She was first elected to the legislature in a by-election in 1988, and was reelected in the general elections of 1989 and 1993.[2] As a member of the assembly, she chaired the committee on education, community and cultural affairs, the committee on natural resources and the environment and a special committee on legislative reform,[3] and served as the Liberal caucus whip.[2] On April 20, 1995, she was speaking in the legislature when a pipe bomb exploded outside the building, sending glass flying into the chamber.[4]
