Iwaskiw ready to turn page
Three-time councillor happy with her accomplishments
Liz Iwaskiw is looking forward to her new calling, though she isn’t sure yet what it may be. Monday’s Lethbridge Municipal Election saw the former city councillor outside of the votes needed to hold her seat.
Iwaskiw finished ninth with 5,680 votes for 4.45 per cent. She is the only incumbent councillor who ran again and lost. Incumbents Joe Mauro, Jeff Carlson, Ryan Parker, Blaine Hyggen, Jeffrey Coffman and Rob Miyashiro all retained their spots on council. Two new faces — historian Belinda Crowson and longtime media personality Mark Campbell — were also elected.
Iwaskiw served three terms on council. She was first elected as a councillor in 2004, then again in 2010 and 2013.
“I am disappointed. I would have loved to serve for another four years but I’m fine with the fact that I won’t be,” she said. “I have this strong feeling that I’m meant to do something else. I have no idea what it is but I’m open to whatever comes next.”
She watched the results Monday night with her daughter and son-in-law. At first it looked good, she said, but then not so much.
“It’s the will of the people. I’ve served three terms and won three elections. That’s more than a lot of people can say,” she said. “I loved the people I worked with. I loved the job. But I’m not devastated by this.”
Iwaskiw is happy with the accomplishments made over the past term. However, a comment made from a gentleman during the final public meet-and-greet-session really stuck with her.
He said “I’ve only heard one negative thing about you and that is you are on too many committees so you must be power hungry,” said Iwaskiw. “And I was so taken aback by that. I said ‘Are you telling me people are saying I’m working too hard and that’s a bad thing?’ And he said ‘Yes, that’s what I’m telling you.’
“I thought wow, if that’s true, then I’m done. So I kind of knew Friday...”
Iwaskiw wonders how working too hard can be held against you. She used to think working too hard was a good thing.
“...and maybe it’s because I’m female. I don’t know. I’ve never looked at that as being a barrier or an advantage, but talking to that guy I thought ‘I’ve never heard a man be told that.’”
During her term Iwaskiw was appointed to at least eight different committees including the Lethbridge Police Commission, the Environment Committee, Economic Development Lethbridge and the Green Acres Foundation. Many have asked her to stay on as a public member, which Iwaskiw is considering. She may also do some travelling or renew her professional mediation work.
“At this stage in my life I know everything happens for a reason,” she said. “And when one thing stops, something else is going to start and I’m happy to just see what that is.”
As for the newly elected council, Iwaskiw is once again disappointed at the lack of female representation. It was never balanced to begin with, but she’s watched it continue to drop over the years.
“The first time I ran there were three women. The next time there were two. The last time I was the only one and then Bridget (Mearns) got in through a byelection,” she said. “So I shouldn’t be surprised but I am. I’m ticked off. And I don’t want people voting for me because I’m female, but I sure as hell don’t think people should vote for the guys just because they’re guys. They are not better at this.”
It’s not unique to Lethbridge, however. In Calgary, for example, there are only three women out of 14 council members, which she says is “disgraceful.”
Iwaskiw was one of the panel members when Minister Stephanie McLean's Ready For Her campaign came to Lethbridge in October 2016. The campaign was initiated to inspire more women to run for political office.
“I was so pumped by that,” said Iwaskiw. “And then we just stepped backwards. I don’t understand why and I don’t know how anybody can fix it.”
Lethbridge’s 2017 municipal campaign saw eight women run for councillor out of 29 candidates. Only one woman, Crowson, was elected.
For the two new council members, Iwaskiw has some advice. She says they need to do their homework, work hard and ask lots of questions.
“Listen to your colleagues, but follow your heart,” she said. “I was talking to people on the radio this morning and I said ‘the best thing is don’t vote according to what’s going to get you re-elected. Vote according to what’s right.’ But considering the results, that’s probably not good advice.”