On International Women’s Day, politicians from all levels of Saskatchewan governments are encouraging more females to get involved in decision making positions.
The R.M. of Edenwold has launched the Women in Government program in hopes of inspiring more women to run for municipal politics.
“We’re really trying to encourage women and support women to put their names forward so that they have the opportunities to participate in municipal elections and municipal government,” Ross Zimmermann, a planner with the R.M. of Edenwold, said. “If you don’t have everyone at the table, the decisions that are made are sometimes one sided.”
Currently the R.M. has one female councillor, six male councillors and a male reeve.
Karen Kotylak, the councillor of division four, is hoping to see more female colleagues along side her in the future.
“We’re looking at ways to remove barriers and to have women join. That’s our goal right now,” Kotylak said. “Municipal governments need more diversity. Right now I’m one of eight councillors and I think women can bring some different ideas to the table.”
The Women in Government program hopes to have 30 per cent of all municipal candidates be women going forward.
“While 30 per cent isn’t parity, it isn’t 50 per cent as we see in statistics, it is the first step towards parity,” Zimmermann said. “The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has identified 30 per cent as the bare minimum for women in government and women in municipal elections.”
In 2020, Regina elected its first official female mayor in Sandra Masters.
Masters said women should continue to support each other and confront biases in their personal and professional lives, in a video posted to her Facebook page on Tuesday.
“From little victories to big milestones, we have so many things to be proud of,” Masters said. “Women play an important role in creating a vibrant community.”
PROVINCIAL POLITICS
At the provincial level, the campaign for the next NDP leader has begun.
Nicole Sarauer, the deputy leader, said the province is ready for a female premier.
“We’ve seen many female leaders throughout the world, including many in the country and even locally, step up and lead and shine,” she said. “I think we are overdue for that frankly and I’m really excited to see a woman premier in Saskatchewan.”
She has publicly announced her support for fellow NDP MLA Carla Beck in the leadership race.
Sarauer was first elected as the MLA for Regina Douglas Park in 2016. She said since then, she has noticed a shift in politics in the province.
“We’ve definitely seen a growing level of polarization and division over the past few years. Some of that has resulted in a bit of a nastier climate than perhaps even existed back in 2016,” she said.
“In the same breath, I would say there’s also a growing level of openness and acceptance to seeing more diverse faces and voices at decision making tables, including elected officials. I think people are growing even more welcoming of women in politics, including younger women.”
To make the job more appealing to women, Sarauer said it needs to be flexible.
“The bigger issue is around making sure the job isn’t built for one specific type of family structure,” she said.
“We need to make sure that this work is one that is open and welcoming for people who have caregiving obligations outside of their work structure and understands that there isn’t somebody at home tending the home fires as maybe it traditionally used to be.”
Saskatchewan Party MLA Laura Ross, the minister responsible for the status of women, was first elected 15 years ago.
Since then, she said the number of female politicians in the province has increased. She said they have worked hard to build relationships and connect with the public.
“I think before, people looked upon women who were elected as kind of stand apart, whereas we don’t do that. We’re in the community, we’re meeting with different women organizations, with girls,” Ross said. “I think that’s where we really get to make a difference.”
Throughout her career, Ross has focused on mentoring and educating young women and girls in politics. She’s also involved in programs and workshops across the province, including self esteem workshops.
“If you see it, you can be it. We encourage our girls to grow up to be strong girls, strong girls grow up to be strong women. That’s what this province needs – strong women,” Ross said. “Once we have more women sitting around those decision making tables, we get good decisions being made.”
Although there has been growth among women in politics, Ross said more still needs to be done to reach the 50 per cent mark in the legislature.
“We’ve got a ways to go,” Ross said. “I love my job. Is it the easiest job I’ve ever done? No. However, we’re up for the challenge and I think if people understand and really realize what we get to do, and the satisfaction from this job, more women would want to do this job.”
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
