Women in politics – a breath of fresh air in an increasingly volatile political environment

January 25, 2023

As a self-professed socially progressive, fiscally conservative Canadian who has been fortunate (and extremely proud) to have lived, studied and worked right across this great country, I increasingly feel like I have been abandoned in a leaking life raft in the turbulent and partisan seas of national politics.

I also miss the days when our leaders (of all political stripes) would consistently reflect on the best interests of the entire country in their decision-making, policies and actions, and not cater exclusively to special interest groups that are aggressively advocating for a specific, often controversial, position.

In the midst of this chaos, I wanted to acknowledge the evolving role of women in politics.  There are a growing number of elected women with varied backgrounds and political views who are providing balanced, thoughtful leadership, typically driven by a strong work ethic, integrity, respect and compassion. These attributes are a breath of fresh air in an increasingly volatile political environment.

While this is not meant to be an exclusive list (far from it), I did want to reflect on a few key examples from all three levels of government.

At a time when New Brunswick Cities are now leading the country in growth, I think it is symbolic that Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John are all being led by strong, capable and socially progressive women.  As mayors, Kate Rogers, Dawn Arnold and Donna Reardon are tasked with shepherding our three largest cities through historic transformations while also dealing with the challenges associated with growth, including homelessness, access to affordable housing and infrastructure renewal. They, and their respective Councils, are also navigating the impacts of municipal reform.  All three are powerful spokespeople and advocates for their respective municipalities, the critical importance of New Brunswick’s cities and the need for sustainable urban growth.

From a provincial government perspective, I cannot help but reflect on the hard work and perseverance of Dorothy Shephard who served as Minister of Heath through the COVID pandemic.  She currently serves as Minister of Social Development, another extremely challenging portfolio and no easy task.  She has carried the toughest portfolios in the provincial government with professionalism and quiet determination. Over her years as an MLA, I have also witnessed her steady focus on her west side riding and regional issues here in Saint John.

In my exposure to the New Brunswick Legislature, I cannot help but also reflect on Megan Mitton, the MLA for the riding of Memramcook – Tantramar, and one of three Green Party representatives elected to the Legislature. I have personally witnessed her participation on Legislative Committees, and she is extremely well prepared, thoughtful, and thorough in her research, questions, comments and positions. She balances her legislative duties and her family responsibilities with community engagement and an on-going commitment to volunteerism.  She serves as a critically important advocate and voice for sustainability issues here in New Brunswick.

Speaking of a breath of fresh air, the wind blew in significant change with the arrival of Susan Holt as the leader of the provincial Liberal Party.  I have had exposure to Susan in her previous roles with the NB Business Council and within government, and would describe her as thoughtful, articulate, personable and genuine, characteristics that I hope she retains as she gets fully embedded within government as opposition leader. She has already proven to be extremely hard-working and fully committed to her new role.

On the federal front I want to reflect on two cabinet ministers whom I feel are doing truly outstanding jobs – The Hounourable Anita Anand, Minister of Defence and the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Both are carrying extremely challenging portfolios at a time of global unrest and conflict.

I had the opportunity to see Minister Joly in action from a small business perspective (her previous portfolio) through a virtual Chamber meeting during the early days of the pandemic. I was impressed with her frankness, compassion and knowledge of her rapidly evolving programs as she proactively engaged struggling New Brunswick businesses.

I thought Minister Anand did a skillful job managing the procurement file during the pandemic and comes with one of the most impressive backgrounds of any elected representative in Canada that I have ever seen. As the son of an immigrant, I am also impressed with her family background and Maritime (Nova Scotian) roots.  She has one of the toughest jobs in Canada right now – rebuilding the credibility, effectiveness and morale of the Canadian military, but I cannot think of anyone better equipped to do it.

I also wanted to acknowledge two formidable former MPs and Cabinet Ministers within the Federal Conservative Party – Rona Ambrose and Lisa Raitt.  Quite frankly, I wish they were still in the House of Commons.  I also believe that either one of them would have made highly impactful and credible leaders of the Conservative Party.

I wanted to provide honorary mentions to Elizabeth Weir, long-time NDP leader and force majeure here in New Brunswick; Liz Chaney, U.S. representative for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023 and former Chair of the House Republican Conference; and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern from New Zealand, who recently announced that she was stepping back from politics. In their own way, each of these women changed their constituencies and jurisdictions for the better. However, their perseverance often came with significant personal costs.

While I cite these examples, there is an emerging generation of progressive political leaders of all stripes and genders that are helping change the tone of politics here in Canada. Two examples come to mind – the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and a Liberal Member of Parliament from rural Nova Scotia; and Adam Chambers, a Conservative Member of Parliament from rural central Ontario who serves on the Federal Government’s Standing Committee on Finance, also having worked as a senior advisor to former, now deceased, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Having grown up in rural Québec, I think some of our finest and most effective Members of Parliament come from rural parts of the country.

Finally, a huge shout out to the four elected representatives who very effectively and professionally represent my community, West Side Councillors Joanna Killen and Greg Norton, MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason and MP Wayne Long.  They are, without exaggeration, an e-mail or phone call away, and are extremely responsive to emerging local issues and priorities. They are, each in their own ways, catalysts for change and are collectively making a difference on behalf of their respective constituents.

A genuine thank you to everyone who chooses to run for elected office and those of you who currently serve as Councillors, MLAs and MPs during these challenging and unpredictable times.

Unfortunately, like global warming, the turbulent seas of domestic and international politics do not appear to be letting up.  Hopefully we can, at a minimum, keep the level of volatility and misinformation to a more manageable level.