EV CHAPTERS
Newfoundland & Labrador Chapters
Equal Voice Public Meeting - Electing More Women in Canada
A local chapter of Equal Voice in Newfoundland & Labrador has recently been launched! Equal Voice is a multi-partisan action group dedicated to increasing the political presence of women and women elected to all levels of political office in Canada.
EV Newfoundland & Labrador Launches Provincial Program: Campaign Shadowing for Young Women
PLEASE NOTE: To apply for this program, please complete the following application located here (just click on it!): http://equalvoice.ca/shadowing_form.cfm.
Young women from the ages of 16 - 24 are eligible to apply in participating ridings (see the full list below).
St. John’s, NL – As the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Election draws near and candidates begin door-to-door visits, some young women will also get a chance to experience life as a female politician.
Campaign Shadowing for Young Women is a new initiative being undertaken by Equal Voice in Newfoundland and Labrador. Equal Voice is a national, multi-partisan organization, which advocates for the election of more women.
The new program aims to increase the number of young women that are politically engaged as well as increase the number of women who choose to run for political office in the future.
Over the past number of weeks Equal Voice has invited female candidates of all political backgrounds from across the province to participate in the initiative.
Candidates including Premier Kathy Dunderdale, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, Lorraine Michael, Leader of the New Democratic Party as well as Yvonne Jones, former leader of the Liberal Party have all graciously welcomed a participating young woman to shadow them during a period of their campaign.
Applications will be accepted now until Tuesday, September 20th. Young women from participating ridings will be selected through this online application process and interviewed prior to being matched with their candidate.
“We are very enthusiastic about the launch of Equal Voice’s Campaign Shadowing for Young Women” says Charmaine Davidge, Chairperson of the Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter of Equal Voice.
Brittany Tibbo who is the Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Coordinator for Equal Voice adds: “The program is a great opportunity for young women to become exposed to politics. It will be very exciting for them to catch a glimpse of the dedication required of these inspirational women during an election campaign.”
With fewer women than men running in the upcoming election Equal Voice recognizes the importance of this unique candidate-shadowing program. It will provide young females between the ages of 16 and 25 opportunity to shadow candidates for up to ten hours in the last two full weeks of the campaign.
Shadowing may include accompanying the candidate on the doorstep, helping out at the campaign office, participating in strategy meetings (where appropriate), among other opportunities.
Nancy Peckford, a native Newfoundlander who now lives in Ottawa and serves as Executive Director for Equal Voice notes, “this new program is a great way to expand upon our national, traditional mentorship program and have young women experience the excitement of a provincial election campaign.”
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For more information:
Brittany Tibbo, Provincial Youth Coordinator (Equal Voice): (709)-765-9257
Charmaine Davidge, Chairperson (Equal Voice Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter) - (709) 682-5657
Nancy Peckford, Executive Director (Equal Voice): (613)-292-7941
CAMPAIGN SHADOWING FOR YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPATING CANDIDATES
Premier Kathy Dunderdale – Leader, Progressive Conservative Party – Virginia Waters
Charlene Johnson – Progressive Conservative Party – Trinity - Bay De Verde
Susan Sullivan – Progressive Conservative Party - Grand Falls Windsor – Buchans
Tracey Perry – Progressive Conservative Party – Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune
Yvonne Jones – Liberal Party – Cartwright L’Anse au Clair
Leanne Hussey – Liberal Party – Port De Grave
Johanna Ryan Guy – Liberal Party – Bonavista South
Lorraine Michael – Leader, New Democratic Party – Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi
Trish Dodd – New Democratic Party – Placentia – St. Mary’s
Gerry Rogers – New Democratic Party - St. John's Centre
Julie Mitchell – New Democratic Party – Burin – Placentia West
EQUAL VOICE MEDIA ADVISORY
National Group Dedicated to the Election of Women Promotes Involvement of Young Women in Provincial Election
August 4, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. John’s, NL – As preparations for Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial election intensifies, Equal Voice, a national multi-partisan dedicated to electing more women to all levels of government in Canada, wants to ensure young women get involved.
As the only province in the country with three female leaders at the helm, Equal Voice is launching a unique candidate shadowing program to ensure young women have the chance to see that they too can be part of the political process.
Through this program, female provincial candidates from all of the province’s major political parties will be invited to participate, by enabling a young woman from their respective communities to shadow candidates for ten hours in the last two weeks of the campaign. Shadowing can include accompanying the candidate on the doorstep, helping out at the campaign office, participating in strategy meetings (where appropriate), among other opportunities.
“Newfoundland and Labrador has a unique opportunity to show young women how exciting and dynamic politics can be,” says Sheilagh O’Leary, a member of the local Equal Voice chapter.
Raylene Lang-Dion, who originates from St. John’s and is now chair of Ottawa’s Equal Voice chapter adds: “Even though fewer women than men are running in this election, the fact that each party leader is female may serve as a significant motivator for young women to get politically involved.”
Equal Voice is aiming to have at least five female candidates participate from each party who represent both urban and rural areas. Young women from participating ridings will be selected through an online application process and interviewed prior to being paired.
Equal Voice is closely monitoring the election in Newfoundland and Labrador in the hopes that the province will be able to improve the current representation of women in the House of Assembly.
“In nearly every election at the provincial or federal level within the last four years, we have seen women’s representation increase. In May, Canadians elected a historic 25 percent women to its national Parliament,” noted Nancy Peckford, a native of the province who now lives in Ottawa and serves as Executive Director of Equal Voice.
“There is no question that many women are motivated to run and voters want to see more women on the ballot. It’s Newfoundland and Labrador’s time.”
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For more information:
Raylene Lang-Dion, Chair, Ottawa Chapter (Equal Voice) – 613-355-3428
Nancy Peckford, Executive Director (Equal Voice) – 613-292-7941
Brittany Tiboo, Provincial Youth coordinator (Equal Voice) – 709-765-9257
Twitter: @EqualvoiceCA
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EQUAL VOICE FACT SHEET
PARTY STATS
Ø According to the three major political party websites in the province, of the Liberal Party’s eight declared candidates in the province, two are women (25%). Of the New Democrat’s 16 declared candidates, five are women (31%). The Progressive Conservatives currently cite six female candidates on their website (or 15%) from a total of 41 confirmed candidates.
COMPARATIVE CHART: WOMEN RUNNING FOR ELECTION
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Parties
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NL*
|
ON*
|
FED ELXN 2011
|
|
Liberal Party
|
25%
|
36%
|
29%
|
|
NDP
|
31%
|
27%
|
41%
|
|
PC Party/CPC
|
15%
|
25%
|
22%
|
*As of August 2nd, the major parties in Ontario had 73% of their nominations completed. NL candidate numbers are as of August 4th.
ABOUT ‘EXPERIENCES’, EQUAL VOICE’S YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
Ø Experiences is Equal Voice’s national three year youth engagement and mentorship program which has received federal government support through Status of Women Canada and major private sector provinces including Merck Frosst and TD Bank. In the province, Experiences is supported by the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.
Ø Experiences has reached thousands of young women across the country through its speakers’ panels, campaign schools designed and delivered specifically for young women, on line tools and mentorship opportunities.
Ø Newfoundland and Labrador’s youth coordinator, Brittany Tibbo, has made presentations to Girl Guides clubs, participants of Miss Teen Achievement and the Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Parliament, among others, about how getting involved in politics can represent a real opportunity for young women to make a difference.
Electing more Women in Canada
Do you believe that more women need to be elected in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Women represent 52 percent of Canada's population yet only make up an average of 21 percent of Canada's municipal councils, provincial legislatures and the House of Commons.
Equal Voice, a multi-partisan, not-for-profit organization, volunteer-based organization of women and men dedicated to promoting the election of women in Canada. We achieve this by hosting events, providing networking and mentoring opportunities, and organizing campaign training schools. More women equals a healthier democratic political system.
Equal Voice
