She ran for the
House of Commons of Canada for the federal
Liberal Party in the
1974 federal election, and lost to
Progressive Conservative John Wise by 2,502 votes in the riding of
Elgin. She ran for the Ontario legislature in the
1975 provincial election, and lost to
Progressive Conservative incumbent
Ron McNeil by 1,831 votes in the provincial riding of the same name. She tried again in the
1987 provincial election this time defeating McNeil by 2,447 votes. She served as a
backbench supporter of
David Peterson's government for the next three years, and was chair of the Liberal Caucus in 1988 and 1989. She served as Vice-Chair of Select Committee on Constitutional Reform from 1987 to 1989 and as Deputy Government
Whip in 1989-1990. The Liberals were defeated by the
New Democratic Party in the
1990 provincial election, and Roberts lost to NDP candidate
Peter North. ==Later life==