TO COUNTER INTIMIDATION TOWARDS ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE COUNCIL OF ELECTED WOMEN OF THE AFNQL IS PROMOTING LATERAL KINDNESS AND REACHING OUT TO ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS
WENDAKE, QC, Feb. 27, 2024 /CNW/ - Elected women from First Nations governments and Tribal Councils in Quebec and Labrador have developed and are in the process of implementing at all levels of First Nations governance the principle and applications of Lateral Kindness, and wish to share these with all elected officials, particularly those in municipalities.
"Everywhere in our societies, the intimidation of elected officials is compromising sound governance. Elected women make no secret of it: the First Nations are not immune from reprehensible behaviour towards elected officials. Women are often the targets, which compromises their essential involvement in the leadership of our Nations. We must put a stop to this. Politics are often very harsh but should never be brutal. Above all, politics must never, ever be used as a pretext for contempt towards women or any other targeted group," declared Councillor Nadia Robertson.
Elected First Nations women have been involved in developing and implementing the concept and implementation of Lateral Kindness.
The Council of Elected Women of the AFNQL is committed to promoting this concept among all elected officials, as it is aimed at First Nations as well as Quebec society as a whole.
The Council of Elected Women of the AFNQL has just held its annual general assembly, in the community of Wendake, during which the need to implement Lateral Kindness was at the heart of the discussions and decisions. The recent resignation of the mayor of Gatineau, in addition to the reasons she has given and the comments heard since, reveals a major problem affecting governance in our societies, particularly local governance.
"The AFNQL maintains regular connections with the Quebec municipal world. The Council of Elected Women of the AFNQL would like a discussion on Lateral Kindness, as put forward by the First Nations, to be included on the agenda of the next meeting of the AFNQL with the mayors of Quebec. Together we will be better able to combat intimidation against elected officials," proposed Grand Chief Savanna McGregor. Councillor Nadia Robertson and Grand Chief McGregor are the two spokespersons for the Council of Elected Women of the AFNQL.
The Council of Elected Women of the AFNQL is made up of all the women who are duly elected to chief or councillor positions among the First Nations communities in Quebec and Labrador. The Council of Elected Women of the AFNQL aims for gender equity within the Chiefs' Table of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, the First Nations communities in Quebec, and all entities dealing with First Nations that recognize, respect, and support the role of women in leadership positions.
The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador is the regional political organization that brings together the 43 Chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (https://apnql.com/).
SOURCE Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador
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