It’s seems somehow sad that so many years after women finally gained the vote and came loose from being men’s chattels we still lag so badly in political representation. On the Coast, where over half the population is women, only six out of the 16 elected officials (including SIB) are female.
Well, that’s pretty good, you may be thinking. But is it? Neither Sechelt nor Gibsons has had a woman mayor in the last two decades, the chair of the Sunshine Coast Regional District has been male for at least the past six years. And has there ever been a woman chief in the shíshálh Nation? So why aren’t we the grand poobahs?
It’s a question my friend Margaret Page and I have been asking ourselves for the past several years. What Margaret came up with six years ago was there was need for education about municipal politics and more support for women wanting to run. So she dug into the subject some more and came up with the brilliant concept of a made-for-the-Sunshine-Coast women’s campaign school.
She envisioned a welcoming, learning place where women, no matter what their age or background, would feel comfortable sharing their ideas with like-minded people. She enlisted the expertise of various community members, and that first school held at Capilano University in 2008 was a resounding success. And at least two of the alumna, Alice Janisch and Alice Lutes, went on to become councillors.
The next election in 2011 was a similar experience. That was the school where I became a partner in the enterprise, and with support of Coast Reporter behind us, we attracted a great group of women. That year there were many young women who were interested in running for school trustee or at least seeing what was involved.
And the brilliance of Margaret’s concept shone once again because women who had walked the walk were able to share with the attendees just what is involved. What time commitments could the potential candidates expect to make? What impact would being a successful politician have on their personal lives?
They learned that the beauty and the beast of local politics is that you’re never far removed from your constituents. Whether they like or don’t like what you’re doing, it’s likely you won’t get through the grocery store without at least one conversation about your vocation. Prospective politicians also got to hear the economic reality. If they were planning a lucrative career as an elected official, that dream was soon dismantled. And we had at least one successful “graduate” when Coun. Charlene SanJenko was elected that November.
Fast forward to this year. For whatever reason, women have been reluctant to register for campaign school. We don’t know if they’re of the “been there, done that” mentality or just discouraged about politics in general. Or maybe in true Sunshine Coast fashion, they’re waiting until the last minute to register. But here’s what you’ll be missing if you waffle too long: learning about the Local Government Act from an expert, Angie Legault of the Sunshine Coast Regional District; studying about ethics from one of the most ethical politicians I know, Betty Baxter, chair of the local school trustees; finding out from our local radio guru Sean Eckford how to make an impact on the vocal medium; hearing firsthand about the wonderful world of politics from former West Vancouver mayor and recently declared federal Liberal nominee for our area, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones (a huge hit in 2011); and much, much more.
If you’re reading this before 9 a.m. Saturday, June 21, it’s not too late. Get your procrastinating butt down to the Gibsons Public Market with $30 in your hot little hand. It will be the best learning experience you’ve ever had.
It will take all women to make a difference. What’s your role?
