Chris Clegg

South Peace News

The Alberta government is trying to persuade more women to run for municipal office.

With the population split relatively even, men still run for office at a much higher percentage than women, who currently hold about one-quarter of all elected municipal seats in Alberta, though they make up half of Alberta’s population. Nearly one-quarter of Alberta’s towns and cities do not have one woman on their council.

In Alberta from 2004-13, only one woman sought election compared to every three men, or 33 per cent.

And, in the 2013 municipal elections, Albertans elected women to 490 of 1,874 positions; an average of 26 per cent.

Locally, numbers were compiled from 1989-2013 for the Town of High Prairie and Big Lakes County. It shows 58 women ran for office compared to 210 men, or only 21.64 per cent.

However, using the same time period as the province – from 2004-13, 28 women ran compared to 91 men, or 23.53 per cent. The percentage is only slightly higher, but still roughly 10 per cent below the provincial average.

What is interesting is that when local voters go to the polls, they care little about gender. From 1989-2013, women candidates were elected in 50 per cent of town elections and 56.67 per cent in the county, about double the provincial average. It suggests local voters care more about the quality of the candidate as opposed to gender.

From 2004-13, town voters elected women 44.44 per cent of the time; in the county it was 36.84 per cent. Both still well above the provincial average.

Town of High Prairie Mayor Linda Cox and Councillor Debbie Rose both found the stats interesting.

“It is clear that when women do run their chances of being elected are almost the same as men,” says Cox.

She did note the percentage gap between men and women, however.

“I think that speculation could bring forward a number of reasons, i.e. evening meetings vs day meetings, child care costs vs. honorarium, lack of interest in municipal governance, etc.,” says Cox.

“And yet, who best knows the needs of a community than mothers who have children that use community facilities? Just as caregivers, whether, young or old, know the failures of the health system as it pertains to their direct experiences, women know a community’s social needs.”

Rose notices the difference in the number of men being elected.

“We still see that when we go out to conferences, many more men than women. I think more women don’t run for council because it has been traditionally a male dominated position.”

Both are pleased local voters put gender bias aside in the voting booth.

“As we see in the statistics, communities do support women candidates,” says Rose.

“I think it is important to [have] balanced voices so you don’t just have a small subsection of voices…ideal to have a council that represents the population more equally. It is nice to see more women interested in running for municipal office,” says Rose.

Stephanie McLean, Alberta’s Status of Women Minister, has campaigned for women to become involved.

“We know women need to be asked over and over before they decide to run for office,” she says. “I am asking women again to consider running for office. Our city halls need your voices and perspectives. We know when women run, they win as often as men – and they bring new ideas that benefit all Albertans.”

Lana Cuthbertson, chair, Equal Voice Alberta North, says women have a lot to offer.

“ want to ask the women in Alberta who are looking for a good way to help their communities to consider running for office. And I want to ask the rest of us to think about the women in our lives who are making a difference, and ask them to run,” she says.