‘Happy to see women in government,’ advocates say as numbers continue to rise

Depending on the results of next week’s election, the United States could be on the verge of electing its first-ever woman as president.

Thirty-two years ago next week, Susan Thompson became Winnipeg’s first, and so far only, woman to serve as mayor. Advocates say the number of women in politics is on the rise.

The province of Manitoba made similar history in 2021, when Heather Stefanson became the first woman to take on the mantle of premier.

Thompson, who served two terms in office between 1992 and 1998, told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg that getting elected was only half the battle, as she didn’t have the support of council, at least when she first became mayor.

“I just had to try to get council to support me — which they did in the end,” she said.

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“In the end, my city council and I did more in the time that we were in office than had been done in 30 years. So you just have to stick to the agenda.”

Thompson said despite early struggles with her fellow councillors and administration, she was driven by the support of the individual Winnipeg voters who helped her win the election.

“It really talks about the importance of the individual citizens and how important your vote is. They were the ones who would always encourage me, because they knew I was trying to do the right thing.”

Chi Wee-Ung, executive director at advocacy organization Equal Voice, says there are promising signs that more women are getting into Canadian politics.

“New Brunswick, B.C. and Saskatchewan — all three provinces have exceeded the number of women that they have in the past,” she said, “so they all have the opportunity to make some history.

“In Saskatchewan, they elected seven per cent more women; in B.C. we’ve hit over 50 per cent, which is the first time any province has hit that milestone.”

And earlier this month, New Brunswick elected its first female premier, Susan Holt.

In Manitoba, women make up around 30 per cent of MLAs and about a third of Winnipeg city council.

Wee-Ung said it’s clear that across the country, Canadians support women in government, and feel that they absolutely belong in the political system.

“There’s no implicit or explicit sexism there — Canadians are happy to vote for and see women in government.

“One of the things I do think that remains is some traditional views of what winnability looks like from within political parties themselves.”

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