Number of women seeking office in Kivalliq grows
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Dec 18/00) - More and more women and walking the halls of power around the region.
After last Monday's municipal elections, there are now 15 women on various councils around the Kivalliq.
That's up from three who served in the last term.
Coral Harbour is the only hamlet without a female councillor, while Repulse Bay has the most with four.
None of the seven hamlets has a female mayor.
Only Hilarie Makpah and Leonie Mimialik in Chesterfield Inlet and Sheila Napayok in Arviat sought the position in the Dec. 11 election.
Makpah placed second to winner George Tanuyak while Mimialik finished third. Napayok finished third.
A total of 26 women sought council seats.
Re-elected Rankin Inlet councillor Lavinia Brown says women with children and full-time jobs still find it difficult to run for office.
"People are so busy these days and their time has become valuable," said Brown.
"Many women find it more important to spend their free time with their families."
Brown said she's happy to see more women seek office.
She added there are some challenges women must overcome that their male counterparts do not.
"More men seek office and are out there doing their thing, so that gives men a higher visibility or profile.
"However, many voters look for people who are proactive in the community and will represent them well and there are a growing number of women who fit that bill."
Brown said it's important to have female representation at all levels of government.
Youth and elders must also have a voice, she said.
"It's important for all age groups to be properly represented and that's even more true for women because some women are more comfortable being represented by their own gender.
"They feel a woman has a better understanding of many of the issues facing women in Nunavut today.
"That being said, if you keep yourself open and do your best for everyone you represent, people will come to you regardless if they're male or female."
