P.E.I. group wants more female MLA candidates

Following the resignation of Summerside-Wilmot MLA Janice Sherry, the P.E.I. Coalition for Women in Government is calling on the Island's political parties to nominate more female candidates for the upcoming byelection as well as the next provincial election.

• Summerside-Wilmot MLA Janice Sherry leaving provincial politics

Sherry's resignation on Monday from the Island's Liberal Party also leaves the province with just four female MLAs, or 15 per cent of P.E.I.'s 26 MLAs. Dawn Wilson, the coalition's executive director, wants to see that number go up.

Encouraging women to run

"Parties are simplynot nominating women at high enough numbers to make significant change. So going forward we will be following the announcement of a byelection and encouraging women to put their names forward," saidWilson.

Sherry a three-term MLA was first elected to the P.E.I. legislature in 2007. She explained this week she is leaving politics to spend more time with her family.

As of Wednesday, a date for the Summerside-Wilmot byelection has not be set.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Lack of oxygen in Southwest River causes fish kill
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Wood Islands-Caribou ferry schedule adjusted, more crossings added