By James Peters

Kamloops woman joins Daughters of the Vote

Apr 3, 2019 | 4:42 PM

OTTAWA — A Kamloops woman who is attending the Daughters of the Vote conference in Ottawa this week says the event has left her inspired.

Morgan Schell-Ware is one of 338 women attending the event — one from each of the federal ridings in Canada.

Schell-Ware has attended a series of seminars and workshops, and says each one focused on building women up.

“We received a lot of different workshops, a lot of different opportunities, all based around women’s empowerment — how we can support each other, how we can lift each other up and how we can stand up for our own voices when they’re not heard,” said Schell-Ware. “It’s a very nice sisterhood where you create very meaningful connections with the other girls.”

“Although women are a minority, and especially not well-represented in government right now — we’re not at 50-50 — it’s very easy to see that even though you are a minority, you still have privilege, and to identify that and to figure out how to help other people who may not have the wonderful opportunities you get to have.”

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Schell-Ware says her favourite workshop was focused on fighting oppression and racism.

“That was my favourite one because I really felt I learned so much and I grew as a person, and the opportunity to talk to other girls who are not as lucky as me, who haven’t had the same experiences as me,” said Schell-Ware.

In the midst of a major scandal for this government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the Daughters of the Vote Wednesday.

“He kept it quite short. He wanted to give us a lot of time to ask questions,” noted Schell-Ware. “Basically, he said he was very happy to have us in the capital — to see all of us there and hopes to see us there again when we are elected, if that’s what we decide to do. He was very welcoming.”

While some Daughters of the Vote turned their back on Trudeau to protest his decision to eject Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus, Schell-Ware wasn’t among them.

“I am very supportive of other women speaking their voices. I am supportive of them deciding their own actions, and how lucky we are to live in a country where we get to speak our voice,” said Schell-Ware. “I appreciate and respect the prime minister for taking time out of his day to talk to us. I believe that, whether or not you agree with a political leader or anyone in your life, they deserve respect.”

“(Trudeau) just said that it’s difficult because a lot of times people think there’s always a right and a wrong, and I believe, especially in politics, sometimes there’s not a right and a wrong. And sometimes difficult decisions are being made.”