CBRM Mayor Amanda McDougall-Merrill won't run for re-election

Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Amanda McDougall-Merrill will not run for re-election in October.

"It wasn't a decision that was easy to come to but one that I did arrive at with lots of thoughtful conversation with my husband, with my family and my colleagues," McDougall-Merrill told CBC News in an interview on Thursday.

She was first elected as a councillor for District 8, the municipality's second largest district, in 2016. She was elected mayor in 2020.

A news release detailing McDougall-Merrill's announcement noted her time in office had been "one of growth and development in the municipality, but also one of catastrophic events."

Her tenure as mayor has included two weather-related states of emergencies, including post-tropical storm Fiona and the massive snowfall that blanketed the municipality in February.

McDougall-Merrill considers securing more than $1 million in funding to ensure the municipality is prepared for future weather and emergency situations one of her successes, the news release said.

"It's been a  really challenging four years, it's been a really successful four years," she said. "But the truth is I have young children who need their mom and right now, that's where my priorities lie."

McDougall-Merrill said one of the things that surprised her about being mayor was how much expectations shifted compared to her previous role as municipal councillor.

"Because I was a woman, the bar was set a lot higher. I had to prove myself much more than any man before me and that was hard, and that's a hard thing to carry with you every single day when you're working," she said.

"And so if I were to have success, it needed to be really, really great. If I were to do something that garnered some criticism, that criticism was deeper than anything I had seen.

"It was almost like beneficial when I was a councillor, a female councillor. But being a female mayor, the first female mayor, my gender made it harder."

McDougall-Merrill became a target for threats during her time in office. She said elected officials are fair game for criticism but it crosses a line when it involves family. For example, she said some people used her son's Down syndrome as a way to attack her.

Earlene MacMullin, councillor for District 2 in the municipality, said she understands why McDougall isn't reoffering.

"I mean, she's young and she has a young family and she has issues and people tend to want to use that against her and it's unfortunate. But it happens quite regularly in politics," MacMullin said, adding that men in politics also become targets.

Personal threats and attacks are keeping good people from going into politics, she said, and social media makes it easier for people to target public figures.

"I don't know when anyone's family, spouses, wives, I don't know when that all of a sudden became relevant or why people would use that so harshly against another individual. It's simply another form of bullying, but because you're in the political eye they say that's OK," she said.

People can criticize politicians without making threats, being derogatory or ignorant, MacMullin said.

"I do know it won't be just [McDougall-Merrill] that won't be running because of these kinds of things. You're going to see it all over the place because people are getting tired of it," she said.

'It is hard, but that means it's worth doing'

Despite its challenges, McDougall-Merrill said she will reflect on her time as mayor with pride.

"What I'm most proud of is that legacy of being the first female mayor. That's such a huge honour to hold, but I only feel that way because I've seen it through the eyes of young people," she said, adding that some young girls who have visited council sat in her chair and said they could be mayor too.

"Women are built differently. We're strong. We create life in our bodies and nurture our young. We take care of our communities. We are the heartbeat of our households," she said.

"And women need to be in these chairs and it is hard, but that means it's worth doing."

After her term in office ends, McDougall-Merrill said she's most looking forward to spending Canada Day with her kids — something she's never had a chance to do. She's also looking forward to being more involved in their school "and just to be mom and not mayor," she said.