'Be bold, we need you': female politicians call for more women to run in B.C.

Female politicians across British Columbia are calling for more women to join their ranks and run for office.

Tina Lange and Kathy Sinclair are city councillors in Kamloops, two of the three women on the council. They are organizing a women in politics panel in hopes of encouraging more women to run for office in Kamloops' upcoming election this fall.

"There simply aren't enough women that run for politics," Lange said. "You have to have lots of them in order to have enough . . . to have some balance on council."

Lange, who has worked as a councillor for 13 years, said there are challenges to sitting on council that may make it more difficult for women to become involved.

"You need an incredibly flexible schedule in order to be a city councillor,"  Lange said. "That is a small part of it but I think it is also the confidence factor."

She emphasized that she and other members of the council are available to mentor and guide women in politics.

"Be bold, we need you," Lange said. "Any women in this city that even is considering running … We'd be so happy to meet with anybody, tell them how to get their name out there more, what they can do and encourage them."

For Sinclair, who joined the council more recently, more diversity in politics as a whole leads to better representation.

"That extends beyond just women and men," she said. "We need people from minority groups, people who are new to Canada, we need people from the LGBTQ community."

'Privilege and flexibility' 

Jillian Merrick, a Prince George city councillor, is hosting workshops to help people from underrepresented groups get involved in politics.

"Often, people who run for office are people who have privilege and flexibility in their life in terms of income," Merrick said.

This means that the leaders making decisions about issues like poverty, equality and access don't usually have first-hand experience with such struggles. It can also mean some topics are overlooked, Merrick added.  

"There are lots of different issues out there that really are not addressed because they are not part of the personal passion mandate of the people at the table," she said.

She said being open about the practical realities of getting into politics is key.

"One of the things I often talk about is the salary that's associated with councillors," she said. "It's $32,000 a year and even just discussing that helps people understand 'Well, does that fit into my life, does it not fit in my life?'"  

With files from Daybreak North and Daybreak Kamloops.