Committee Overview	News from the Committee	Newsletter
Committee Members	Resources and Links

Committee Overview

The Women in Municipal Government Committee is a Committee of the AUMA Board of Directors.

The Committee works to raise awareness of the importance of women in governance and to strengthen the participation of women in the democratic process. Priorities for this Committee in 2009 have included increasing communication of issues and initiatives related to women in municipal politics to the broader AUMA membership and identifying and providing input to the Board of Directors on any emerging issues.

Committee Members
 

News from the Committee

Conference Session

Again this year, the Women in Municipal Government Committee will be a hosting a session at the Annual AUMA Convention being held in Calgary, November 4-6, 2009. The theme of this year’s session is Healthy Leadership: Building Stronger Relationships. The session will provide an opportunity for AUMA members to learn and contribute to the work of the Committee. Kim Berube, Owner and Publisher of Real Woman on the Run Magazine, will be giving an engaging talk relating to the theme of the session.

Poll Shows Canada Wants More Women Elected

On June 18th, 2009, Equal Voice released the results from a national public opinion poll which showed that a large majority of Canadians want to see more women elected in Canada.

The poll results showed that 85 percent of Canadians support “efforts to increase the number of women elected in this country”. Only 11 percent of Canadians oppose such efforts.

The poll reveals that large majorities of voters for all the federal political parties want to see more women in elected office. Significant majorities of Conservative Party voters (76%), Liberal Party voters (89%), NDP voters (93%), Bloc Quebecois voters (88%), and Green Party voters (87%) say they support efforts to increase the number of women elected. As well, 85 percent of undecided voters are in agreement.

While women are almost universal—90 percent—in their desire to see more women elected, a large majority of men—79 percent—also support these efforts. As well, large majorities of Canadians in all regions of the country want more women in elected office.

On a related question, 63 percent of Canadians think that women are under-represented in the federal House of Commons and only 27 percent think women have about the right amount of representation at the federal level.

AUMA Women in Municipal Government Committee meets with FCM’s Women in Government Committee

On June 6, 2009, members of the Women in Municipal Government Committee had the opportunity to meet with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Women in Government Committee during FCM’s Convention in Whistler, BC.

The meeting was an opportunity for both committees to share their work on issues related to women in municipal politics and to explore ways that the group could work together on future initiatives. One of the suggestions arising from this meeting was the dedication of a full day at the 2011 FCM conference to the topic of women in politics.

The connection between the two committees was strengthened as a result of this meeting and it was agreed that the Chairs would continue to be contact and share information of mutual interest. Further avenues of collaboration between the groups will continue to be explored.

For more information on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Women in Government Committee, click here.

Results from the Women in Politics Survey

In an effort to gain a better understanding of the experiences of women involved in municipal politics and to identify their unique challenges and needs, the AUMA Women in Municipal Government Committee surveyed a group of elected female municipal Mayors and Councillors, each with their own diverse background. The survey examined the history of women’s participation, current motivation and future prospects. The information collected through this survey provides insight into the experiences of women in municipal politics and highlights the barriers to active participation that need to be addressed.

Among the reasons cited to participate in municipal politics, respondents expressed an interest in having a voice within their community. This was coupled with a desire to play a positive role in their community while expanding their own knowledge base.

Respondents did express some concerns regarding barriers to their active participation. Primarily, issues were raised regarding balancing home and private life with the pressures and long working hours of Council. The perception of gender tension and questions of whether real change can be realized also played a role.

However, despite these and other reservations, none of the barriers identified were viewed as insurmountable. Mentorship programs and educational opportunities were acknowledged as important ways of meeting and overcoming these challenges.

To read the full Executive Summary of the results of this survey click here.

Resources and Links

Results from the Women in Politics Survey

To read the Executive Summary of the results for the Women in Politics Survey click here.

Equal Voice

Equal Voice is a multi-partisan action group dedicated to increasing the political presence of women and women elected to all levels of political office in Canada. Click here to learn more

Federation of Canadian Municipalities – Women in Municipal Government Standing Committee

FCM’s Women in Government Standing Committee works to promote and support women’s participation in government. Click here for more information.

Mentorship Program

Equal voice is launching a new mentorship program for girls and young women called Experiences. To learn more about the program click here.

Native Women’s Association of Canada

The Native Women's Association of Canada is founded on the collective goal to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations and Métis women within First Nation, Métis and Canadian societies. Click here to learn more.

Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA)

CIWA has published a resource for immigrant women wishing to learn more about civic participation. The document, entitled “Civic Engagement for Immigrant Women” can be found in the publications section of their web site.

Newsletter

One of the goals of the Women in Municipal Government Committee is increased communication of relevant issues to the AUMA membership. In an effort to work towards this goal, the Committee publishes quarterly newsletters. You can read past issues or subscribe to the newsletter below.

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