Few diverse candidates in 2020 Saskatoon election points up need for change, contenders say

Past and current candidates say change is needed if there's to be more representativeslates in future Saskatoon civic elections.

Out of the 38 candidates running in this year's Nov. 9 mayoral and city council election in Saskatoon surveyed by CBC News, fivehave said they identified as a member of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) community. Most others identified as white.

• BIPOC: What Does It Mean?

• Here's the official list of 38 candidates in the 2020 Saskatoon election

Namarta Kochar, the chair of the city'sdiversity, equity and inclusion advisory committee, said she congratulates and thanks all candidates who put their names forward, but added thatthe 2020 rostershows "work....needs to continue to be done on diversity, equity and inclusion in our city."

"[We] need to identify and break down barriers that may prevent or discourage BIPOC candidates, and diversity as a whole, within an election," she said.

11 women candidates

Out of the 38 candidates, 11are women. That's down from 12 female candidates in 2016, a higher number than in previous years.

Tiffany Paulsen, a former longtime Saskatoon city councillor, said the absence of any woman in this year'smayoral race is very disappointing.

"The strongest city council that we can have is one that is absolutely reflective of our community from a gender background, from a diversity background," she said. "If we don't have a council that is reflective of our communities,the community will lose confidence in the decisions that they make."

Paulsen said women may not have put their name forward because "a lot of women don't feel or enjoy the same support that male candidates get."

The cost of running a campaign also discourages diverse candidates from running, Paulsen said, adding that maybe funding needs to be made available "to even that playing field a little bit."

Health worker taking time off from work to campaign

Ward 3, covering nine neighbourhoods in Saskatoon's west end, features the most diverse set of contenders.

Eight peopleare running in the ward, including three who areBIPOC: Janine Lazaro,a Canadian of Filipino descent, and Chris Sicotte and David Kirton both Mtis men.

Lazaro, a health-care worker, said she's taking the two weeks leading to the election off from work for the final leg of her campaign.

"As a person from a minority group, I understand the importance of integrating discussion of raceinto policy development that would meet the needs of our community," Lazaro said.

Education in the classroom stressing the importance of running for office and the role of municipal government might help spur more interest in local politics, she said.

"I remember when I was still in high school back home, we had a certain subject [where] we discussed who's in power, who are these governments taking care of us? What do they do? Bringing this discussion inside the classroom and making the student know who's taking care of them is something that's very important."

'People will push themselves not to run'

Kirton, aMtisman,was also asked about the amount of representation among 2020 candidates. He spoke of his family history.

"My dad basically ran away from his Indigeneity long before I was born. He moved away from a very troubled family in Winnipeg and came to Saskatoon and never once talked about his culturebecause he was never proud of his culture. Andthat's something that I can only look back on now," he said.

"There's still enough racism out there, obviously, that people will push themselves not to run, and of course, that saddens me."

Kirtonsaid he has not encountered any racism during his campaign.

"There has been absolutely no blowback.As a matter of fact, to stand strong and stand proud really helps me get through this campaignon a tiring day."

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Kirton said he wants to hold Ward 3 events that bring people together, once it's safe to do so.

"Maybe a barbecue, something as simple as that, when the time allows,to have people talk reconciliation," he said.

'You can be what you can see'

Chris Sicotte, the otherMtiscandidate in Ward 3, saidthe problem of diversity is not as pronounced in the federal and provincial elections.

"I think some of it comes from a lack of understanding of the role that municipal politics plays in people's lives. It's much more hands-on than people may realize," Sicotte said.

• Chris Sicotte seeks more diversity on Saskatoon council but says his Indigeneity isn't 'be all and end all'

"Another might be the lack of success of candidates."

Paulsen said becoming a candidate is an important first step.

"I'm a strong advocate of you can be what you can see,and so if women aren't seeing candidates running, if they're not seeing women being elected, then they're less likely to try it out themselves, despite the fact that they are as eminently qualified as anybody else," she said.

"I think the same general theory applies when there's a lack of diversity overall in the field of candidates. If people aren't seeing folks from all sorts of backgrounds running and participating, they will often be less likely to involve themselves."