Representation 'absolutely matters' in local politics, say newly elected trustee, regional councillors

More diverse candidates were elected to local and regional councils during this municipal election, despite voter turnout dropping this election.

Monday's election saw the region elected its first black female councillor and first regional councillor living with a physical disability.

It also saw the first female mayor elected in Wilmot Township in its 133 year history and more people of colour elected to city and as school board trustees.

Colleen James, newly elected regional councillor representing Kitchener, says Monday's election showed a shift in the community wanting more diverse representatives around leadership tables.  

"With myself, being a person of colour and the first Black woman, there's a perspective that I can bring to this table that hasn't been there before," she said.

"When we're looking at addressing things like inequities I can speak to, 'Have we considered this?' Or speak to perspectives and lived experience and being in touch with the community."

Representation creates a sense of belonging

James says diverse representation goes beyond being reflective of the community elected officials represent. It fosters a sense of belonging for people.

"If you don't have that representation, there's going to be people who potentially don't feel like they are a part of or belong," she said.

"I have a five-year-old daughter and I want her to know, and she will now know, that she can be at any space because mommy is there."

Chantal Huinink, who lives with a physical disability and was elected to regional council representing Waterloo, believes having diverse representation can help address broader issues in the community.

"Representation matters because it's one thing to think of things theoretically and another thing to see why it matters in front of you," she said.

"I think the region has always aimed to be accessible and I'm sure there are barriers that they would love to address, but just never considered because they never realized them before."

Meena Waseem, elected as a Kitchener school board trustee for the Waterloo Region District School Board, says representation creates a more caring community and breaks barriers.

It can also inspire diverse communities to care about municipal politics.

"The amount of people I talked to who are 16, 17 that got their parents and grandparents to vote for the first time because they saw an Instagram video I made are a sign that we have so much work to do as a community to engage diverse voices to get out to the polls."

"The fact that we started to make that happen is truly remarkable."

Advocacy part of the role

Huinink says she has always seen herself as an advocate in the community. That became the driving force behind why she decided to run for regional council.

"If I'm advocating for these things already [like] transit, housing, accessible housing and other supports, why not do it at a regional level where I can make more of a difference for people," she said.

James echoes Huinink's message. She says her advocacy will continue to be part of her role as regional councillor.

"If you're in these spaces where you have the ability to influence and create meaningful change, being an advocate and using that privilege [is needed] to create change and to better ensure that everyone in the region is thriving," she said.

As a school board trustee, Waseem said her job will be to advocate for all students, but her lived experience "can help fill gaps where others may not be able to." 

"I understand what it's like to be a student with a non-visible disability in our schools, I know what it's like to a be a student who relied of food support programs in our schools, I know what it's like growing up in communities with parents who struggle with English," she said.

Monday's election saw breakthroughs

Barrington Walker, a professor of history at Wilfrid Laurier University and the school's associate vice president of equity, diversity and inclusion said the number of diverse candidates on the ballot this election is something to celebrate.

Walker ran for federal politics in Kingston back in 2019 and knows first hand the barriers equity diverse groups face during campaigns and gaps in diverse representation in politics. He says there were breakthroughs from Monday's election.

"I think there's lots of positive signs that the leadership in this region is increasingly and incrementally more representative of the folks that live in the region, but there's still a gap that needs to be closed and we have to think about being careful in how we interpret that data," Walker said

Having representation at the local level gives community members a sense they have people in government who will understand their lived experiences and people who they can bring their concerns to, he said.

Walker adds the conversation around belonging still has a long way to go, but it's an effort that's beginning to shift with the community becoming more receptive to seeing diverse candidates presenting themselves at the door. 

"It sends a signal that the community is undergoing an important transformation. We know demographically the region is transforming and this is starting to translate into the realm of electoral politics, which I think is a positive sign," he said.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.