If you are a woman and are thinking of running for office, a program coming in March may be able to give you a little help. The Women’s Caucus of Middlesex County was one of nine projects from across Canada to secure a grant through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Inclusive Community Initiatives, a funding provided through the Department for Women and Gender Equality Canada, to run an election school to encourage and support underrepresented women who want to run for office in the upcoming municipal election. The Middlesex County Election School will be hosted Saturday March 26th from 9:00am – 1:00pm at the Komoka Wellness Centre and is free of charge for those wanting to attend. Free childcare and transit is also available, and lunch will also be provided for attendees. Guest speakers will include President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Joanne Vanderheyden who is also a member of the Women’s Caucus.More information on how to register can be found at our website.
Anyone in the Middlesex-London region is welcome to attend who have an interest in raising underrepresented women’s voices and encouraging those to run for office or remain in municipal leadership positions in local government. Registration is available here or by contacting any of the Women’s Caucus of Middlesex County Council members via email at womenscaucus@middlesex.ca.
FCM President and Mayor of Strathroy-Caradoc Joanne Vanderheyden says “women, and especially women of intersectional identities, continue to face barriers when running for office, and this has been a priority for the Federation of Canadian municipalities to encourage women to run. We know women face social, structural and economic factors that hinder them to run, and by providing first hand experience for those involved in municipal politics, we are hoping to use the Election School for women across Middlesex-London to encourage others to get involved.”
The Women’s Caucus of Middlesex County Council is made up of Middlesex County Warden Alison Warwick (Mayor of Thames Centre), Cathy Burghardt-Jesson (Mayor of Lucan-Biddulph), Joanne Vanderheyden (Mayor of Strathroy-Caradoc), Aina DeViet (Mayor of Middlesex Centre) and Kelly Elliott (Deputy Mayor of Thames Centre).
