The Women’s Action Alliance for Change has sent out a press release this morning noting that:
It is a fact that Nova Scotia lags behind other provinces in terms of women’s participation in municipal government. Although 52% of the population is female, women currently make up only 21% of municipal councillors, only 4% of mayors and wardens, and only 22% of chief administrative officers.
The issues that women care about—affordable housing, child-care, accessible transportation or recreation programs are often not front and centre in municipal election campaigns. It may therefore not being surprising that many low income and marginalized women do not vote.
To help women walk through the decision-making process of selecting the best candidate, WACNS has put together a voting guide, which includes a checklist of issues. The guide specific to HRM is here.
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2012.
Yes women do represent 52% of the population and also 80% of the nursing home population.
Men also care about the same issues.
Too bad WAAC chose to ignore the issue of school board members and the importance of education.
I don’t think most men care about those issues.
I think a lot of the female population here are students. So nothing that can be depended on.
I’m a guy and have been living here for 18 years. I honestly haven’t witnessed so much discrimination and disrespect against women in any other place I’ve traveled to. Yes some places are worse than others and I’m sure there are other places worse that us. But based on the fact that we “Pride” ourselves on equality and fairness, I don’t believe such a thing exists here and you can ask a lot of women living who will testify to that.
I don’t feel that women here are given the respect and treatment they deserve and I feel like they’re treated like second class citizens.