Elected women must be treated fairly

The City of Winnipeg has just launched its 2026 municipal elections website with a public signal that a key democratic event is not only approaching, but that participation matters.

Across the province, municipalities are working to strengthen civic engagement and encourage more people, especially women, to see themselves in public office.

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities released a guide on harassment and intimidation in elected roles, recognizing that these pressures are real, increasing, and corrosive to democratic participation. Harassment is especially acute for women and racialized people in elected office and there is much work still to be done.

Within the City of Brandon, Her Seat at the Table has emerged as a concrete initiative to support women considering a run for municipal council.

Similarly, at the City of Winnipeg, the women members of Council working across political lines held a series of public meetings throughout this term to recruit, mentor, and support women’s leadership inside and outside elected office.

In addition, Winnipeg City Council added its support to a Federation of Municipalities (FCM) effort encouraging the federal government to work collaboratively across governments to implement more robust protection measures for elected officials, their families, and staff.

It is in this context that the court cases of Thompson (Rural Municipality of) v Cox must be understood.

The scenario that played out over the last four years reflects the problematic status quo: step forward, but don’t expect protection when you do.

Like many council positions across many municipalities in Canada, the role of councillor is part-time with the expectation that full time employment is elsewhere.

Following the 2022 election, the reeve and council knowingly switched the meetings to times that purposefully conflicted with Councillor Donna Cox’s workday.

When she unavoidably missed three meetings, they moved to disqualify her from office using their own interpretation of the Municipal Act, unchallenged by the minister responsible for overseeing the Act.

Instead of being allowed to serve as a voice for those that elected her, Councillor Cox had to fund and focus on a legal battle just to be allowed to be at the table.

She won, resoundingly.

In the words of the judge, the reeve and council “knew or reasonably should have known that they were obstructing Cox from performing her duties and that they were disenfranchising voters by setting meetings times that conflicted with Cox’s work obligations.”

The reeve and council appealed against the ruling. And lost again.

The courts found Councillor Cox had been denied procedural fairness and was improperly precluded from fulfilling her role as an elected official and awarded costs.

These strong words used in the judgements like “disingenuous,” “obstinate” and “failed miserably” stand in contrast to provincial ministers responsible for The Municipal Act, whose correspondence to the reeve and council shillyshallies’ and deflects.

At best, the letters and the silence from the current minister (there have been three so far this term) reflect a troubling misunderstanding of the minister’s powers and responsibilities to provide mediation and ensure fair play.

At worst, it suggests a deliberate retreat from exercising powers to protect democratic participation from a weakening in the accountability framework many are working to increase. The case raises broader questions about provincial oversight under The Municipal Act and whether our systems and structures — like the minister’s office itself — protect democratic participation or quietly erode it.

It should not fall to a single elected official, acting alone and at personal financial risk, to defend democratic norms. Councillor Cox’s persistence to enfranchise voters is courageous, admirable, and inspirational. (She plans on running once again in 2026).

As municipalities across the province prepare for the next municipal election cycle, the message we send now to those willing to stand for office matters.

Respect and protection of democratic participation, and the fair application of legislation are not optional.

We can speak personally to the importance of not only getting women to run, but also ensuring they are protected when they raise their voices and views. If we want more women at the decision-making tables, we must also ensure they are treated respectfully when they take their rightful seat.

Sherri Rollins is a City of Winnipeg councillor representing Fort Rouge East Fort Garry ward. Janice Lukes is deputy mayor for the City of Winnipeg. She has been an organizing force of the women’s leadership series put on and supported by all the women of council during the 2022-2026 term in office.