Candidate rejects women-only public debate
Town Ward candidate Jenny Lanciault says that a forthcoming public debate for women candidates in the municipal election is sexist — and she won’t attend unless male candidates are invited to participate, too.
“I’m not flying on a gender card,” Lanciault said in an interview Tuesday. “I don’t want to play into that mindset – I want a level playing field.”
The event is called Spotlight on Women and it’s being held next week at the Peterborough Public Library.
It’s being organized by the Canadian Federation of University Women – Peterborough Club.
The eight women candidates for council have been invited to come speak about the issues and why they’re running.
That includes Lanciault and two other women candidates in Town Ward, Kemi Akapo and Jane Davidson (who are running in addition to Coun. Dean Pappas and Jim Russell).
The other women running in the election are Coun. Diane Therrien (for mayor), Coun. Lesley Parnell (Otonabee Ward), Kim Zippel (Otonabee), Charmaine Magumbe (Monaghan Ward) and Sheila Wood (Ashburnham Ward).
Organizer Ruth Schumaker says that “maybe” it’s sexist to invite only women candidates to take part in the debate.
“But is Peterborough city council – with nine men and two women – sexist?” she asked. “It would be nice to have more diversity on council – that’s why we’re holding up the women.”
Schumaker said the group isn’t going to change its format to invite men to come take part in the debate. For one thing, she said, it would be unwieldy to have every candidate in the election on a panel.
Besides, she said, the club is all about encouraging women and “giving them a spotlight”, particularly when it comes to political life.
“Because it’s not an easy thing for women to do,” she said, meaning running for office.
Lanciault said that when she was first invited to the Spotlight on Women event, she accepted. But then she thought better of it when it occurred to her it was a formal debate in a city-owned building – and that the public would be invited.
“The bottom line is – it’s a debate,” she said. “And I believe if we’re all playing by the rules, we’re all given the same opportunities… If this was just for male candidates, it probably wouldn’t be received as well.”
Lanciault sent an email to Schumaker on Tuesday to ask that the event include male candidates in debate – and to say that unless the men were invited to take part, she wouldn’t attend.
Lanciault said she appreciates their interest in politics. But unless they invite the male candidates, she said, they’re giving the women an unfair advantage – that’s discriminatory, she said, and she wants no part of it.
Schumaker said male candidates and other men are welcome to attend – they’re just not going to be on the panel. The point of the club is to highlight women and encourage them, she said.
“Those women in politics should be promoted and celebrated,” Schumaker said.
Spotlight on Women is taking place at the Peterborough Public Library at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.