“Get your support network in place by being open with people in your life because being a politician is not an individual journey, it’s a team sport,” says Holmes. “You need to make sure you have that network of people there for you from the campaign through to the work, as well.”
During a campaign, women often face different obstacles than their male counterparts. “I think that women definitely face challenges in fundraising when it comes to campaigning,” says Holmes. “There seems to be a timidity when it comes to asking people for help and asking for money, and that’s why it is so important for people to be vocal about their support to potential candidates because it really helps them to get over that discomfort.” A United Nations report found that Canadian women spend on average 10 per cent more than men on campaigning, largely the result of costs for child care and housework.
“I think there are different challenges for women than for men in running a political campaign,” opines current councillor Celina Symmonds. “I think a woman has to be much more careful on the campaign trail on how they present themselves and what they wear. I mean, people seemed to comment on my shoes rather than my intelligence. Another thing for women as far as campaigning goes is that it can be very hard to strike an equal footing as far as being assertive in debates. When men are assertive, they are seen as leaders and when women are assertive, they are seen as aggressive.”
Life as a city councillor
The life of a city councillor is a busy one. Every day is packed with meetings and events to attend, emails and phone calls to respond to, and documents to review. Each day extends beyond 9-to-5 and the weekends are busy, too.
“I saw myself as a full time alderman,” said Colleen Wilson. “It just isn’t meeting attendance. I tried to be seen everywhere, attend every business opening, every entertainment activity. I answered every phone call and every letter. And I also had a job and a large family to organize. I cannot speak for what the typical day looks like now for a city councillor. I have faith that current women in politics anywhere care deeply and work just as hard for their citizens as I did. These are different times and while the “office” is the same, it is up to each individual to make it what they want to make it. The report card is at the time of the next election.”
“Typically, I attend a few events and have an opportunity to review different documents,” explains Symmonds. “So, throughout the week, I get anywhere between 50 and 60 emails that I respond to. I sit on several committees. Every second week, we have council so preparing for that is a very big job. We will often get our council packs on a Thursday evening and it typically is anywhere from 500 to 800 pages of reading so you do that over the weekend and then come to the meeting on Monday. Those meetings can be anywhere from four hours to eight hours depending on what is going on in the city at that time.”
Challenges of Public Life
At any level, political life has its challenges. Your attention is frequently being pulled in several different directions with multiple issues at stake and demands to be dealt with. Many people will disagree with opinions you hold or decisions you make. At times, you may experience fierce
Cathy Smith served as an alderman from 2001-2007.
Colleen Wilson served as an alderman from 1989-1992.
Councillor Celina Symmonds is currently serving on city council and is also the co-executive director at the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank.
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opposition and be attacked personally. Media reports can be harsh, as well.
When Smith was working to pass a bylaw limiting the locations where adult entertainment establishments could be located, she was stalked, received death threats and even found the leg of a deer in her mailbox! Politics can be tough.
The introduction of social media completely altered the political landscape, leaving politicians – especially female ones – open to attack. “Social media has really changed the scope of politics because it makes it possible for anyone to say anything that they want with no consequences,” says Symmonds. “That is a real problem. It makes it that much easier to attack someone without ever seeing their face or realizing that you are talking to a real human being.”
Politicians need good support to help them cope when they are in office. Explains Smith, “If you have smaller children, you have to have the support of your spouse if you’re going to do something like this because you’ve got a lot of meetings, a lot of events. In a small city like Medicine Hat, people expect you to be there. You also need a group of people you can go to who are like your wings or crutches when you need them to keep you up at times when there’s situations that come that are controversial; people who will tell you that you are doing the right thing – or not doing the right thing.”
Benefits of Being in Office
Of course, political life has many benefits, too. The key ones being the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with creating changes that you believe are positive, and the gratitude that you receive from members of the community.
“I am most proud of the way I served the citizens of this city,” says Wilson. “I still have people coming up to me and reminiscing about what I did for them whether it was as a trustee on the hospital board or as an alderman. I ran for office to serve the people. I asked the questions and tried to get the answers for those who were concerned about anything. You are what you contribute to other people in this life. I worked very hard to be the best possible person
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in office whether it was committee work, council meetings or representing our city socially.”
Cathy Smith says she is proud not only of the adult bylaw that she worked so hard to get passed, but also of the far-reaching effects that it has had with Oyen and Airdrie adopting similar bylaws. Even Alberta’s John Law has its roots in this Medicine Hat bylaw.
“In the six years, I was involved in municipal politics,” says Smith, “I had a lot of people who came up to me and said thanks for doing this job. People would send me flowers. I had people who were very good to me. I got cards from people who said they were praying for me. It was a very, very good experience, other than the deer leg.”
One final benefit of being a woman in municipal office is the chance to inspire other women and serve as a role model for future generations. If you are a woman who is considering running for office in 2017, consider talking to one of the women who has held office in the past. They have a wealth of valuable advice to impart.❚
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Dedicated to improving the world , one child and one community at a time for over 90 years!
www.medicinehatkiwanis.ca 403-528-7330
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