Female municipal election candidates to be celebrated

“Support her, be her, celebrate her” is the slogan for Equal Voice — and the organization plans to do all three on Monday, as it co-hosts a reception to celebrate female candidates from the St. John’s metro area in the upcoming municipal elections. Often working with the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Equal Voice NL’S goal is to encourage more young women to get involved in politics. The advisory council will co-host the event, happening at the Suncor Energy Fluvarium in St. John’s Monday from 7-9 p.m.

“We are thrilled to see so many women running in the 2017 municipal election and want to celebrate this,” Linda Ross, president and CEO of the advisory council, stated in a news release. “We have a long way to go to achieving gender parity at all levels of government. However, seeing more women put their names forward municipally inspires hope.”

In St. John’s, Ward 4 Coun. Sheilagh O’leary is the sole female member of city council, along with 10 men. O’leary is running for deputy mayor in the Sept. 26 election, alongside Michelle Worthman.

Other women running include Renée Sharp (mayor), Deanne Stapleton (Ward 1), Pamela Hodder and Hope Jamieson (Ward 2), and Maggie Burton, Debbie Hanlon, Tracy Holmes and Jennifer Mccreath (at-large). Female MHAS, members of the advisory council and Equal Voice, community partners and former municipal councillors will attend the event.