OTTAWA – Leona Alleslev rose in the House of Commons Monday as a Liberal and spoke. By the time she was done, she had blasted the government, quit the party and joined the Official Opposition. Here are a few quick facts about the newest Conservative MP:

Military experience

Graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada and served as a logistics officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, retiring as a captain.

Close election victory

Alleslev ran as a Liberal in the 2015 election, narrowly defeating Costas Menegakis, the incumbent Conservative. She won by 1,093 votes in the newly created Toronto-area riding of Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill.

Parliamentary work

As an MP, she has served on the immigration and defence committees and as chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association. From December 2015 until January 2017, she also served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of public services and procurement.

Quote

“My attempts to raise my concerns with the government were met with silence. It is my duty to stand and be counted. Our country is at risk.”