{"id":3308,"date":"2024-12-09T06:26:25","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T12:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/?p=3308"},"modified":"2024-12-09T06:26:27","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T12:26:27","slug":"the-power-of-change-the-history-of-womens-political-leadership-in-alberta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-power-of-change-the-history-of-womens-political-leadership-in-alberta","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Change: The History of Women&#8217;s Political Leadership in Alberta"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In 1989, Edmonton elected its first female mayor, Jan Reimer. Running for such positions at the time was challenging: society often relegated women to the role of homemakers rather than mass leaders. Additionally, female politicians were scrutinized by the media far more frequently than their male counterparts, with coverage often focusing not only on their achievements but also on their hairstyles, outfits, and more. Learn more about the women of Alberta who had a significant impact on the national and provincial political arenas and made history through their pioneering efforts in this <a href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\">CalgaryYes<\/a> feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a12389eecacd\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a12389eecacd\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-power-of-change-the-history-of-womens-political-leadership-in-alberta\/#First_Female_Alderman\" >First Female Alderman<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-power-of-change-the-history-of-womens-political-leadership-in-alberta\/#Two_First_Women_in_Albertas_Legislature\" >Two First Women in Alberta\u2019s Legislature<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-power-of-change-the-history-of-womens-political-leadership-in-alberta\/#First_Black_Female_Lawyer\" >First Black Female Lawyer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-power-of-change-the-history-of-womens-political-leadership-in-alberta\/#Other_Influential_Women_in_Alberta\" >Other Influential Women in Alberta<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_Female_Alderman\"><\/span>First Female Alderman<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"691\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-18-691x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-18-691x1024.png 691w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-18-203x300.png 203w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-18-768x1138.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-18-696x1031.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-18.png 810w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>In December 1917, Annie Gale was elected to the Calgary City Council, becoming the first female alderman in Canadian and British Empire history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Born in 1876 in Worcestershire, England, Annie moved to Calgary in 1912 with her husband, civil engineer William John Gale, and their two sons. Her active civic engagement began when she noticed that local merchants only accepted produce from British Columbia farmers, ignoring those from Alberta. In 1914, she founded a garden club aimed at increasing vegetable and fruit production during World War I and demonstrating Alberta&#8217;s agricultural potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a city council member, Gale fought for equal employment opportunities for both genders, opposed child labour, and supported public markets. She also sought to improve conditions in Calgary\u2019s jails and reform the city\u2019s healthcare system by advocating for state-funded hospitals. However, she left her position due to blackmail from opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Two_First_Women_in_Albertas_Legislature\"><\/span>Two First Women in Alberta\u2019s Legislature<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"670\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-18-670x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-18-670x1024.png 670w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-18-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-18-696x1064.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-18.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>In 1916, women in Alberta gained the right to vote and run for office. Just a year later, schoolteacher Louise McKinney was elected to the Alberta Legislature, becoming the first woman elected to a legislative body in Canada and the British Empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McKinney organized 20 branches of the Women&#8217;s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) across Western Canada, which not only promoted temperance but also Christian values. Her primary legislative project focused on improving the legal status of widows and divorced women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside McKinney, military nurse Roberta MacAdams was also elected in 1917. Both women were sworn in on February 7, 1918, but McKinney earned the historical distinction due to being elected earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MacAdams became the first woman in the British Empire to introduce and pass a legislative act. She worked to enhance soldiers&#8217; qualifications and escorted war brides to Canada post-war. She also advocated for the establishment of a teacher training college in Edmonton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_Black_Female_Lawyer\"><\/span>First Black Female Lawyer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"936\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-16.png 800w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-16-256x300.png 256w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-16-768x899.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-16-696x814.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Alberta\u2019s pioneering women extended beyond politics. In 1954, Violet King became Alberta\u2019s first Black female lawyer, Canada\u2019s first Black female barrister, and the first Black person admitted to the Alberta Bar Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>King later worked for Canada\u2019s Department of Citizenship and Immigration, traveling across the country to meet with service leaders and community organizations. In 1963, she moved to the U.S., where she held various leadership roles in YMCA organizations, becoming the first woman in the U.S. to hold an executive position in the national YMCA by 1976.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_Influential_Women_in_Alberta\"><\/span>Other Influential Women in Alberta<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"743\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-14-743x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-14-743x1024.png 743w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-14-218x300.png 218w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-14-696x959.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-14.png 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 743px) 100vw, 743px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Berta Clark-Jones joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Aboriginal Veterans Society during World War II. She co-founded and became the first president of the Native Women\u2019s Association of Canada, advocating for the equal rights of Indigenous veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1960s, Myrtle Sayers Lidley, a former school inspector, dedicated herself to creating recreational opportunities for people with disabilities in Edmonton. Her programs became models for other cities across Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thelma Chalifoux became Alberta\u2019s first M\u00e9tis woman senator in 1997, championing women\u2019s and Indigenous rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calgary\u2019s first Black female city councilor, Virnetta Anderson, was elected in 1974. Despite facing discrimination, she played a pivotal role in developing the city\u2019s C-Train network and the Calgary Centre for Performing Arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Women Leaders in Recent History<br>In October 2021, Jyoti Gondek became Calgary\u2019s first female mayor. Born in London, England, to Indian parents, she moved to Winnipeg at the age of four. Gondek\u2019s career included roles as a policy analyst in the Manitoba government, a professor at the Haskayne School of Business, and founder of Tick Consulting, a firm helping clients adapt their business models to changing regulations and economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jasmine Mian, the youngest woman ever elected to Calgary\u2019s City Council at 31, is a former Olympic freestyle wrestler. Her political priorities include pedestrian safety, addressing the climate crisis, revitalizing downtown, and improving transportation in Ward 3.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 1989, Edmonton elected its first female mayor, Jan Reimer. Running for such positions at the time was challenging: society often relegated women to the role of homemakers rather than mass leaders. Additionally, female politicians were scrutinized by the media far more frequently than their male counterparts, with coverage often focusing not only on their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":413,"featured_media":3321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[490],"tags":[1573,1574,1575,1576,1580,1584,1577,1581,1570,1583,1370,1579,1572,1582,1571,1578],"motype":[491],"moformat":[89],"moimportance":[101,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-3308","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pro-polituky","8":"tag-alberta-first-female-mayor","9":"tag-alberta-gender-equality","10":"tag-alberta-legislature-women","11":"tag-alberta-political-history","12":"tag-alberta-women-leaders","13":"tag-annie-gale","14":"tag-calgary-women-politicians","15":"tag-female-political-pioneers","16":"tag-indigenous-women-leaders","17":"tag-jasmine-mian-political-career","18":"tag-jyoti-gondek","19":"tag-louise-mckinney","20":"tag-roberta-macadams","21":"tag-violet-king","22":"tag-violet-king-ymca","23":"tag-virnetta-anderson-3","24":"motype-eternal","25":"moformat-vlasna","26":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","27":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/413"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3308"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3324,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3308\/revisions\/3324"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3308"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3308"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3308"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}