Six former and current Black Nova Scotia politicians spoke candidly about their experiences in the role as women during a panel discussion Wednesday night in Cherry Brook, N.S.
The Black Women in Electoral Politics panel was held in collaboration with Mount Saint Vincent University at the Black Cultural Centre. They spoke about how they got into politics, what it was like and how other people — especially Black women — could find support if they wanted to enter political careers.
“My lived experience really shaped who I am,” said Sen. Wanda Thomas Bernard, “shaped the vision and the perspective that I bring to this work, so I work with colleagues on social justice issues are really grounded in my lived experiences, but also what I’ve witnessed around me.
“And every single day, I’m reminded of the significance of the work. Breaking down barriers is basically what I do.”
In addition to Bernard, Nova Scotia’s minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs Twila Grosse, former Liberal MLA Angela Simmonds, former NDP MLA Yvonne Atwell, NDP MLA Suzy Hansen and Halifax Coun. Iona Stoddard were on the panel.
Yvonne Atwell, the first Black woman elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature, spoke about what it was like being in politics for the first time. She was an MLA with the NDP in 1998.
‘I always thought I can do this’
“When you think about being inside of all of that for the first time, I didn’t have a history like that. I mean, I dropped out of school, went to Toronto and then had to go back,” Atwell told the panel.
“But I always thought that I can do this because I could never figure out why not. I never thought about my colour in that way, I never thought about coming from East Preston in that way,” Atwell told the panel.
Hansen told CBC News that she, as a Black woman, has faced discrimination. But she said it doesn’t deter her — nor should it stop others — from entering politics.
NDP MLA Suzy Hansen, left, and former Liberal MLA Angela Simmonds at the panel. (Feleshia Chandler/CBC)
“Being in this role as a woman, but as well being a Black woman, there’s not very many of me that are there that I can lean on, but as well, just experiencing some discrimination based on where I come from, where I live and my own personal experiences that aren’t everybody’s lived experience,” Hansen, who is from north-end Halifax and represents Halifax Needham.
“I think that’s a valuable asset for me when I’m in there, when I’m in the legislature sitting in my seat is to show that, to prove that anyone can be in these seats, anyone can stand here and do this work and we should…. We all have something to bring to the table and we need to respect those pieces of who we are.”
WATCH | Black Women in Electoral Politics panel:[embedded content]
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
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.
