Ready to Run: Panel discussion to focus on women in local politics

May 30, 2018 | 4:22 PM

KAMLOOPS — A panel discussion is scheduled to take place in council chambers Wednesday evening in an effort to encourage more female candidates to run in this year’s municipal election. 

Councillors Kathy Sinclair and Tina Lange will be joined by former Councillor Nancy Bepple to act as panelists for the event. 

Sinclair says it is important to have a variety of experiences around the council table. 

“When I first moved to Kamloops there were actually five women on council, and I thought it was really exciting to see that diversity,” Sinclair said. “Right now we have three females on council including Councillor Pat Wallace, myself, and Councillor Tina Lange. This is not about women trying to take over the world, this is really about just providing diversity and some balance to Council.”

The event titled Ready to Run? Women in the 2018 Kamloops Municipal Election begins at 6 p.m., with three panelists answering questions about what it’s like to run for council, and why it’s important that women are represented. 

Sinclair says everyone is welcome to attend. 

“It’s not just for people who are interested in running in this fall’s municipal election, but also for people who maybe want to work on a campaign who think maybe they’ll run in the future sometime, or maybe are just kind of interested in hearing about behind the scenes what does it take.”