Grand Bay-Westfield swears in majority-female council

A small town in New Brunswick has a long history of electing female leaders.

Grand Bay-Westfield continued that trend this week, swearing in a council made up of 71 per cent women.

In an interview with Acadia Broadcasting on May 28, Mayor Britanny Merrifield said she is proud of the diversity on her council.

“I think it’s a great thing,” she said. “I’m a strong proponent of diversity around the council table because when you have a lot of different perspectives, better decisions get made.”

Since amalgamation in 1997, the town has had just two mayors: Grace Losier — who served the town for six consecutive terms and is considered the longest-serving female mayor in New Brunswick — and Merrifield, who was previously the town’s deputy mayor before being acclaimed in 2021.

Merrifield was acclaimed again this term. She said while the region has strong male leaders, women often bring a different approach to leadership that may make them more likely to be re-elected.

“We tend to lead more collaboratively,” she said. “I think, in a lot of cases, it’s just the way we bring people together and move projects forward.”

Merrifield clarified that the trend may not apply to all women in the region, but rather to individuals who have proven to be strong leaders. She noted that their skills and contributions have helped them succeed, including being re-elected.

She added that, in Grand Bay-Westfield, there is a general culture of support for leadership.

“That certainly extends to women in our community so they feel welcome and supported through any leadership journey they might take, whether it’s on council or council committees,” she said.

However, Merrifield said female representation in municipal politics across the province has room for improvement.

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Merrifield co-founded See Jane Run in 2020, a volunteer group that supports women running for municipal office. She said it helps candidates navigate the process and access resources. The group contributed to increased female representation in the 2021 elections in the Greater Saint John area.

Women find it easier to run at the municipal level

Joanna Marie Everitt, a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick, said there is no single reason Grand Bay-Westfield has elected predominantly female leaders, beyond voter satisfaction.

However, she said research shows higher female representation is more common in municipal politics.

Women often see municipal politics as more accessible, she said, allowing them to be involved in their communities without the travel demands of provincial or federal office.

“I think we often think municipal politics is more open and accessible to women,” she said.

Everitt added that women are often more focused on community and social issues, such as housing and support services, which fall under municipal responsibilities.

“These are issues that women tend to hold somewhat more dear than men do,” Everitt said.

Greater representation can also encourage more women to run, she said.

Everitt noted Merrifield’s advocacy may have helped increase the number of women elected locally, but said the absence of political parties is a key factor.

She said parties can create barriers for women due to internal biases and candidate selection processes.

“When you have a secure seat — one that has been Liberal or Conservative for years — and that incumbent stepped down, they often replace that incumbent with a man,” she explained.

She said even though parties like having female candidates, they often run them in ridings they are most likely to lose because they are not always seen as the strongest option.

Everitt said parties often want “the best candidate,” and for them, the safe option is often a white man.

At the municipal level, however, voters tend to support individuals they believe will best represent their community.

“We are looking for people who’ve made a difference, who’ve stood out and talked about issues in their community,” she said.

Council has two newcomers

The town swore in its council on Wednesday evening, with incumbents Erin Toole, John Balemans, Stephanie McIntosh Lawrence and Keri Burpee returning.

Two newcomers also joined council, with Brandon London and Laura Weil elected as councillors for Ward 1.

Incumbent Jim Balcomb ran again but lost, while incumbent Beverly Day did not reoffer.

That evening, Coun. Toole was automatically named deputy mayor, having received the most votes.

During her remarks, Mayor Merrifield said she was excited about the new council.

“Each one of you brings different experiences, perspectives and talents. That diversity of thought is not a weakness — it will be one of our greatest strengths,” she said.

The new council also held its first meeting following the ceremony.

Its next meeting is scheduled for June 22.