‘Gender parity in municipal leadership is important and it’s a priority’: AMM president

This municipal election has brought a record number of female candidates and elected officials, with one municipal leader stating that gender parity is important in civic office.

“We promote many things, but clearly it goes back to…gender parity in municipal leadership is important and it’s a priority,” said Kathy Valentino, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities.

“And it’s a priority because the more gender parity and diverseness around a council table, it strengthens the municipalities when the decision makers have a different look at things and you have many different looks in different ways.”

All the women interviewed agreed with Valentino’s diversity comment.

AMM released election numbers the day after the vote, which showed that out of the 1,419 candidates that ran for office, 339 of them were women with 213 winning their campaigns. Women now account for almost 25 percent of elected municipal officials, up from 20 percent in 2022 and 2018. This was a new record for female candidates in Manitoba history, according to the association.

“At AMM, and for myself, I’m clearly a little biased being a female leader myself, but very, very positive results and very pleased to see it,” said Valentino, who is the first female president of AMM and is entering her fourth term as councillor for the City of Thompson.

She said the association had been working to get women involved in municipal politics during the four years leading up to this election by offering breakout sessions at their conventions, hosting a women in municipal government event at its spring conventions, providing resources and support, as well as question and answer sessions on municipal politics and elections.

“Just even to get women to put their name on the ballot is the first hurdle, and then to have so many be successful this year is a real positive,” said Valentino, who also attributed the record number of women in this election to other female elected officials having conversations with “women champions” in their ridings who might consider being on council.

“I absolutely love (being a politician). I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it,” said Valentino, noting she ran for office because she wanted to give back to her community, it was her civic duty, and she wanted to leave a legacy for her grandchildren. “Municipal politics, it’s the actual level of government where you’re closest to the people. So, you live in the same community that you’re a decision maker in…Municipal government isn’t about the decision you’re making today. It’s really that decision is for the future of your municipality to leave a legacy, and that’s really important to me right now.”

All of the women interviewed for this article cited wanting to give back to their communities and making a difference as reasons why they ran for office.

“This election is where (AMM’s female initiative) seems to be coming to fruition…So, I think that’s a step in the right direction, for sure,” said Coun. Susan Penner, who is the first female councillor in the City of Steinbach’s history to win the popular vote with 2,569 ballots. She has been on council for 16 years and was appointed deputy mayor on Tuesday.

Penner attributed her success to being trustworthy, making decisions using common sense, and having integrity. She advised women entering politics to work hard and to put their name forward.

“The first time is the hardest. It is hard to put your name out there, but once you do it, it really is worth it for the most part. It’s a really positive experience.”

AMM has been advocating for municipalities to consider being more creative in their organizational procedural bylaws in how their councils are run. For example, by offering daycare for councillors’ children so they can attend meetings and allowing for maternity or paternity leave so that councillors are not penalized for not attending three consecutive regular council meetings.

RM of Stuartburn Reeve Michelle Gawronsky agrees with AMM’s initiative in asking councils to amend their bylaws to accommodate women. She said right now cost, staffing, and location would be barriers to implement something like a daycare for councillors’ children in Stuartburn, but maybe in the future that could be become a reality.

Gawronsky is the first female reeve in Stuartburn and she just won her second term. She has been in politics for 20 years, and prior to becoming reeve, she was the longest running female president of the MGEU at 12 years. She is also chair and vice-chair on a number of municipal committees and is executive director at Eastman Tourism.

She said for committees where she is vice-chair she will run for chair as the current election has vacated those seats. She will also run for chair of the eastern region in AMM.

Gawronsky said while men have never been rude to her as a female politician, they have been reserved and she has had to prove her knowledge to them, even carrying a suitcase of files so that she can prove her understanding of an issue.

Gawronsky and Penner both agree that overall times have changed for women entering politics. Both advise that women need to be prepared, informed, and ask lots of questions when running for office. Gawronsky said women should lead with kindness and mentorship in regards to female candidates and elected officials.

“No reason why we can’t (be in politics),” she said. “There’s been a real shift and a recognition that allows women to actually go further in politics than what we thought we (could).”

Gawronsky is one of three female candidates that were elected to lead their municipalities in the Southeast, the other two are Mayor Melinda Warren for the RM of Springfield and Mayor Liz Kirpinchick for the Village of St Pierre-Jolys.

“(I want women to know) that you can find a work-family balance – you can. I did it last weekend. You need to be able to still spend time with your family and connect with your family, as well as do your job as the municipal representative,” said Warren, noting Springfield has had a number of female politicians over the past 20 years as mayors and councillors. She thinks AMM’s procedural bylaw initiative is wonderful.

“I think that is the message for women – and for anybody who feels like they’re in an out group – is that municipal government is for the people, and we can make changes (to schedules) so that (council) is more accessible,” said Kirpinchick.

In her life, Kirpinchick has always been in male spaces whether it’s in family, work, and now politics, so she is used to those spaces and is not bothered by any discrimination she may face. Echoing AMM, her goal is to make the St Pierre council flexible and inclusive.

All those interviewed let it be known that “the table is open” to other women in the next election.

“We can’t stop, because we need those voices at the council table,” said Valentino. “I believe it impacts the decision making – and we’re still a minority at the council table – so we have to continue to do the work.”

“We need to increase these numbers at the next election,” she added.

This election saw more than 825,000 votes cast, up from 730,000 in 2022, resulting in about 31 percent of candidates being acclaimed (down from 37 percent in 2022) and 43 percent (416) being newly elected into office.