Women's Election Movement Crushed Modest Goals: Green NWT Legislative Assembly Went from Having Two Women Mlas to Nine After 2019 Election
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international women's day NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, March 8, 2021 5 Women's election movement crushed modest goals: Green NWT legislative assembly went from having two women MLAs to nine after 2019 election by Blair McBride The legislative assembly Northern News Services went from having two women NWT to nine after the election in Efforts to bring more October of that year. women into the legislative "I think we got 47 per assembly have succeeded cent by 2019. That's not what beyond expectations, said we were expecting. That Health Minister Julie Green. exceeded my expectations The minister, who is also and I was super happy about MLA for Yellowknife Cen- that. Of the nine women tre chaired the Special Com- now in the assembly, six are mittee to Increase the Rep- Indigenous. There is good resentation of Women, which representation. That's how began its work in November it should be. I'm also happy of 2018. it wasn't just women from That group was formed Yellowknife who were elect- to examine barriers faced by ed. There were (also) women women considering entering from Fort Smith, Inuvik and political careers. Norman Wells." At the time, the NWT had the lowest number of female Lingering election NNSL file photo politicians of any Canadian challenges The woman members of assembly gather in the lobby of the Great Hall. From left to right: Great Slave legislature, with just two Among the issues politic- MLA Katrina Nokleby, Housing minister Paulie Chinna, Thebacha MLA Frieda Martselos, Finance minister women in the house, or 10.5 ally-minded women face in Caroline Wawzonek, Kam Lake MLA Caitlin Cleveland, Health Minister MLA Julie Green, Premier Caroline per cent of members. the NWT, Green pointed to Among territorial neigh- three challenges. Cochrane, Infrastructure Minister Diane Thom and Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler. bours, in Nunavut there were "There's always a caregiver six MLAs, or 27.3 per cent role question to answer. If you candidates, not just women. It tions apply for that money ments. And maybe women keep women in the pipeline so of the assembly. Yukon had have small children – and supported that recommenda- and get the training in their who haven't thought about there are candidates ready to seven women, or 36.8 per cent in this assembly we do have tion (for the next territorial communities and see if we public life or public service run in the next election. The of MLAs. women with small children – election). I hope the rebate can influence women in other can come in for training and simple fact is that the more "In the original motion to it's challenging to balance that scheme can be an incentive organizations like school have a conversation about it. women who run, the more increase the representation with child care demands. And for women to run. It still boards or Indigenous govern- "The biggest thing is to who get elected." of women in the legislative if they don't live in Yellow- has to be debated and either assembly, we set very modest knife, having your family in adopted or not." goals for ourselves," Green different places can be dif- Under the recommenda- said. "We hoped to have ficult. tion, 50 per cent of eligible women represent 20 per cent "And I think there are some expenses up to $5,000 per of MLAs by 2023 and 30 per organizations that haven't had candidate would qualify for cent by 2027. a lot of women in leadership a rebate, a candidate must In the seven months the roles. I'm thinking of the Tli- receive a minimum of five committee was operating, cho Government and Sahtu per cent of votes cast in their it travelled to 10 commun- Secretariat. Women haven't electoral district, and only ities and met with groups of always been well represented cash expenses incurred by the women to make connections in those organizations. There candidate and not offset by and hear their thoughts on still isn't widespread accept- fundraising are eligible. running for public office. ance that it's OK for women to To solidify the success Green herself hosted a hold leadership roles." achieved in the 2019 elec- campaign school in Yellow- She added that another tion, Green said the main knife that ran for six weeks. barrier she learned about challenge now is maintaining "That produced a very when the committee was momentum and sustainability. tight knit group. Some of travelling to the communities More women should be them went on to be candi- is finances, as some political encouraged to think about dates in the campaign (in aspirants can't easily afford to politics, enrol in campaign 2019). I think the issue got a fund their campaigns. schools or find a political lot of profile. We've stimu- One solution to that is a mentor. lated some interest among rebate program, Green said. Funding and program- women to consider politics as "The special commit- ming is available through the a career." tee asked if there could be a Department of Executive and Though the committee rebate on campaign expenses. Indigenous Affairs for host- disbanded after it published I presented to the committee ing campaign schools, she its final report in June of on rules and procedures and said. 2019, its work paid off in the asked if this rebate could go "I'm hoping that commun- House. ahead and be available to all ities and women's organiza- NNSL file photo "We got 47 per cent by 2019. That's not what we were expecting. That exceeded my expectations and I was super happy about that," said Health Minister Julie Green..