October 2024

We’re pleased to announce Nominee and Equal Voice are teaming up in honour of World Mental Health Day on Thursday, October 10th!

Dr. Amanda Bittner, Mitzie Hunter, Matt Jeneroux, and Dale Richardson will join us for insightful conversations into:

• Public Scrutiny, Harassment, and Abuse Against Elected Officials: How do you respond to personal attacks online, or in-person? If harassment occurs, how do you navigate HR within the parliamentary system?

• Work-Life Balance: How do you maintain a healthy relationship with your partner, or raise a family while in politics?

• Language, Decorum, and Toxicity in Legislatures: How do you take on hyper-partisanship? How has propriety changed and not changed in parliamentary debates?
  
  

Our participants hail from different sides of politics, from current & former elected officials, to campaign staff, to academia. Our goal is that these diverse perspectives and personal experiences will provide broader learnings that attendees can use to navigate these issues in their own lives and incorporate into their wellness routine—whether currently in politics, or planning to be.

 

 

 

About our speakers

• Dr. Amanda Bittner is a political psychologist who studies elections & voting, with a particular focus on gender & politics. She has worked at Memorial University since 2008, and in 2017 founded the Gender & Politics Lab, a hub for research and community engagement activities related to gender & politics. She has published five books and has substantial community activity experience, a strong track record in grant-writing and grant-getting in the academic setting, and experience with financial leadership and management in community organizations. In 2022 she was inducted as a member of the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

• Mitzie Hunter is President and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Her 30 years of leadership spans the nonprofit sector, private sector, and government. Mitzie has a trailblazing track record and many successes championing infrastructure and community improvements. She was the first Black woman to serve as Ontario’s Minister of Education. She also served as Ontario’s Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Associate Minister of Finance.

• Matt Jeneroux is the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend and the Shadow Minister for Supply Chains. He has been a strong advocate for both compassionate care and mental health supports, even launching his foundation, Hi Dad Foundation, to raise awareness for mental health in young men and dads. This was an extension of his work as founder of Father’s Day on the Hill, an annual event on Parliament Hill. Matt is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly and the youngest government provincial politician prior to May 2015.

• Dale Richardson is a public affairs leader in Saskatchewan. Prior to joining Earnscliffe Strategies, Dale worked in public affairs for a multinational pulp & paper manufacturing company, and has provided public affairs and communications support to industry and advocacy groups, associations, and clients in Saskatchewan. Previously, Dale was a senior digital media advisor to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, and a media & communications advisor for the Minister of Health and Minister of Environment, as well as head of communications for the Saskatchewan Party.

Here's what you can expect

Topic: Prioritizing Mental Wellbeing in Parliament

When: Thursday, October 10th 11:30am - 12:30pm ET

Where: Zoom

Accessibility: Live Closed Captioning available

&

August 2024

Lunch & Learn: Accessibility & Childcare Expense Supports During Elections

Elections Canada Webinar Series: Lunch & Learn: Accessibility & Childcare Expense Supports During Elections 

Wednesday August 7 from 12-1pm ET. 

 

Join Equal Voice, Elections Canada and former federal candidates who utilized Elections Canada's new Childcare and Accessibility expenses to learn how you can use these expenses in the next election. We will also discuss what is available at provincial/territorial levels.

 

Register

 

July 2024

Lunch & Learn: Political Finance & Fundraising 101

Elections Canada Webinar Series:

Lunch & Learn: Political Finance & Fundraising 101 

Wednesday July 24 from 12-1pm ET on Zoom 

 

Join Equal Voice, Elections Canada and a former federal campaign Official Agent to learn about the exciting world of political financing and fundraising! Learn about financing rules, ways to raise money to justify your budget, and what it is like to be a campaign Official Agent. 

 

Register

 

May 2024

Hybrid Municipal Governments – Public Summit

The pandemic has led to dramatic innovation and modernization of workplaces, like the integration of hybrid features. Funded by the Government of Canada through Women and Gender Equality Canada, Equal Voice is exploring ways to advance women’s leadership and ensure that Canada’s governments emerge from the pandemic as more gender-sensitive institutions. Modernizing Legislatures is a project seeking to provide the research, collaboration, and learning necessary for elected officials to make decisions around hybrid and remote ways of working.

 

In collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, this webinar will focus on municipal governments and explore different ways that they have or can operationalize hybrid working arrangements. We will explore research findings and host an open discussion for questions and answers. Participation by municipal elected officials, municipal staff and members of the public is welcomed.

 

 

Register Here

The session will take place in English with simultaneous translation available.

 

Tuesday May 28^th at 12:00pm (EST)

 

In collaboration with:

March 2024

Politics Unveiled: A Closer Look at Women's Perceptions

On International Women's Day, we will release the latest polling data about the public's evaluation of their political representatives and women's political attitudes. This webinar will explore ways to increase political participation by understanding why many don't follow their political aspirations and what can be done to break those barriers.

Oksana Kishchuk, Director, Strategy & Insights (Abacus Data), will present key findings followed by a presentation from Chi Nguyen, Executive Director (Equal Voice), who will discuss what can be done to increase representation in politics.

Register

February 2024

Combatting Sexual Harassment in Politics

Legislatures are unique places of work. Elected officials, political staff, and nonpartisan employees work in precarious conditions with distinctive power dynamics. Like any workplace, workers regularly interact with one another, which means that sexual harassment can involve interactions between and within these different groups.

With funding from Justice Canada, Equal Voice conducted a three-year project to better understand and combat sexual harassment in our legislatures. We surveyed, interviewed, and compared, and talked to experts. Sexual harassment is a real and persistent problem in Canada’s provincial and territorial legislatures.

Join us on February 20, 2024 at 2:00pm (EST) for a conversation to learn more about our key findings and recommendations for how to make legislatures a safer place to work, with Chi Nguyen, Executive Director at Equal Voice; and Emma Philips, labour and human rights lawyer, partner at Goldblatt Partners LLP.

About the Speakers

Equal Voice is Canada’s only national, bilingual, multi-partisan charity dedicated to electing and supporting more women to all levels of political office in Canada Our mission is to increase the representation of women and gender-diverse people in all forms of political leadership.

Chi Nguyen, Executive Director, has worked for over twenty years in the social purpose sector, was a past recipient of the Persons Case Award and YWCA Woman of Distinction, Chi works at the intersections of politics, community and policy-making to champion gender equity and inclusion and was a past candidate in the provincial election for the riding of Spadina-Fort York, Toronto. She loves her most important job as mom to Sam and Ellis.

Goldblatt Partners LLP is a highly respected law firm distinguished by the excellence of our work. While labour law remains a core practice area, we also have thriving civil litigation and criminal law practices, and represent clients in a broad spectrum of other types of disputes, including public interest, constitutional, human rights and Aboriginal rights litigation, public inquiries and coroners inquests, and professional regulation and discipline matters.

Emma Phillips, Partner, practices labour and human rights law, and regularly advises clients on matters relating to workplace harassment and sexual harassment. Emma also acts as an independent workplace investigator, including investigating the systemic roots of sexual harassment and discrimination in some of Canada’s most important organizations. In 2014/15, she acted as counsel to the External Review on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Armed Forces, and in 2015/16 she was counsel to an independent review commissioned by the UN on sexual abuse by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic. In 2016/17, Emma acted as counsel to an external review of harassment in the RCMP.

 

 

Working in Politics: Combatting Sexual Harassment with Legislatures

With funding from Justice Canada, Equal Voice conducted a three-year project to better understand and combat sexual harassment in our legislatures. We surveyed, interviewed, and compared, and talked to experts. Sexual harassment is a real and persistent problem in Canada’s provincial and territorial legislatures. Join us on February 20, 2024 at 2:00pm (EST) for a conversation to learn more about our key findings and recommendations for how to make legislatures a safer place to work.

 

Register Here

Modernizing Legislatures – Public Summit on Hybrid Parliaments

Join Equal Voice’s Public Summit on Modernizing Legislatures

Legislatures are places of tradition, but the pandemic has led to dramatic innovation and modernization like the integration of hybrid features.

Modernizing Legislatures is a project funded by the Government of Canada through Women and Gender Equality Canada. Through this project, Equal Voice seeks to advance women’s leadership and ensure that Canada’s legislatures emerge from the pandemic as more gender-sensitive institutions.

As part of the Modernizing Legislatures project, Equal Voice, in collaboration with Abacus Data and StrategyCorp, is excited to host the first public summit about the project,  serving as a platform for sharing research findings and fostering discussions on the modernization of legislatures.

Public Summit – Online

When: Thursday, February 15th, 2024

Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (EST)

Who can attend?

Everyone! Open to all, including media, academia, advocacy groups, political staffers, decision-makers, and the public.

How can I attend?

Please register for the event using  the form below. You will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the virtual summit.

What to expect?

You can expect to learn more about hybrid legislatures and how it can support the modernization of our institutions.

Abacus Data, on behalf of Equal Voice, conducted national polling around hybrid. Surveying Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the findings indicate that the modernization of legislatures through the introduction of hybrid features has the potential to foster inclusivity and increase the participation of women in all orders of government. This has the potential to alleviate systemic barriers to women’s participation in politics.

StrategyCorp, a strategic advisory firm, conducted interviews with key stakeholders in legislatures, such as clerks, house speakers, and house leaders, at the federal, provincial and territorial governments. These interviews provided unique insights and understanding of the challenges and benefits of hybrid for different legislatures.

During this summit, attendees will hear from both Abacus Data and StrategyCorp, and will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Why attend?

– Gain firsthand knowledge of the research and findings around hybrid in legislatures.

–  Participate in an important discussion on the implications and benefits of hybrid features.

– Contribute to the ongoing dialogue on creating more inclusive and diverse legislatures.

What is “Hybrid”?

In the context of the project, “hybrid” refers to a tool designed to accommodate legislators who need to participate virtually in proceedings when in-person attendance is not possible. This includes situations such as illness, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, or other extraordinary circumstances. The hybrid approach empowers legislators to fully represent their constituents at all times.

 

Register Here

 

January 2024

Balance the Power Webinar

Our Executive Director Chi Nguyen will be on a panel about the urgency of more diversity in political representation, with Senator Donna Dasko; Aline Nizigama, CEO of YMCA Canada; Anuradha Dugal, VP of Community Initiatives at the Canadian Women’s Foundation; Shari Graydon, CEO and Catalyst at Informed Opinions; and Gabrielle Brassard-Lecours, director of Femmes Expertes.

When: Wednesday, January 24^th, 12:00 pm (EST)

Register to attend the discussion and know what you can do to help gender equality in politics using this link: https://www.balancethepower.ca/event-details/balance-the-power-launch/form

February 2023

Ask Me Anything!

Interested in politics but not sure where to get started? Do you want to run for political office someday? Experienced campaigner looking for tips and tricks?

Join us on Sunday, February 26 from anywhere across Canada to ask your questions, get advice, and learn from some of Canada’s best political strategists - with different political stripes! This AMA is suitable for all audiences – beginner or experienced.


The Experts

• Rachael Segal: Lawyer with extensive experience on political campaigns at all levels of government in Ontario and British Columbia. University Lecturer (Masters of Public Policy), and former on-air TV and Radio personality.
• Sally Houser: Long-time strategist, communications and media expert, and party politics insider, with extensive experience and knowledge on all campaigns.

The Details

Program: Informal Q&A – bring your questions!
Where: Zoom
When: Sunday, February 26th from 7:00-8:30 pm (EST)
Cost: Free