A human resources consultant and manager by profession, Crowder was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the first time in the 2004 election as the New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Parliament for the British Columbia riding of Nanaimo—Cowichan.

[1][2] She has worked at Malaspina University-College, Human Resources Development Canada, and the BC Ministry of Skills Training & Labour.

[3] In the 2008 federal election, she defeated nearest rival Reed Elley, a former MP running for the Conservatives, by over 4,000 votes.

In that election, New Democrat candidates Alistair MacGregor (a former constituency assistant to Crowder) and Sheila Malcolmson held the new ridings for the party.

After leaving the House, she supported Guy Caron in the 2017 New Democratic Party leadership election.