On May 26, 1997, two years in advance of the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 official creation, future Nunavummiut voted in a non-binding plebiscite on whether or not the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 legislative assembly should see equal representation of men and women.

: voters casting ballots for one man and one woman in each constituency.

Fifty-seven per cent voted SA国际影视传媒渘o.SA国际影视传媒� Voter turnout was 40 per cent.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was so close. It could have gone either way,SA国际影视传媒� said veteran politician and Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Elisapee Sheutiapik.

SA国际影视传媒淚 supported gender parity. I honestly believe that weSA国际影视传媒檇 be a bit more advanced in the social area. For example, ISA国际影视传媒檓 minister of Family Services. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the one department that nobody seems to ever want.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 hard, but we need to have discussions about violence, about sexual abuse. If we donSA国际影视传媒檛 weSA国际影视传媒檙e never going to come up with potential solutions.SA国际影视传媒�

Sheutiapik says the social issues her department is responsible for are the issues no-one wants to talk about.

SA国际影视传媒淣ormally these (topics) are not of interest, but they certainly are of interest to women. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why I say I think we would have been more advanced when it comes to our social challenges,SA国际影视传媒� she says.

Former territorial politician Manitok Thompson disagrees about the gender parity plebiscite.

SA国际影视传媒淚f the territory had voted yes, the women would be in because of their gender and not because they are equal to men who have been in politics for some years. After the vote of gender parity, (women) are elected because of their skills and education,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淎s I have said, SA国际影视传媒楾he brain is between the eyes not between the legs.'SA国际影视传媒�

Former health minister and Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA Pat Angnakak says the topic has been divisive among women in Nunavut, SA国际影视传媒渨ith each opposing side having strong arguments for or against gender parity.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚n thinking about my own election, I would like to believe and think that my constituents voted me in because they felt I was the candidate to do the job and not because of my gender.SA国际影视传媒�

Angnakak also notes having two representatives for each constituency would be very expensive. Sheutiapik considers the failure of the gender parity vote a SA国际影视传媒渓ost opportunity.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淣unavut SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 20 years, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 still fairly young in a sense SA国际影视传媒� just two generations ago we were nomadic. Here we are we have our own government already but I think SA国际影视传媒� what a lost opportunity,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淗aving been in the legislature now for (almost) two years, when weSA国际影视传媒檙e having sessions, we might as well be in Ottawa. What a lost opportunity to be different. We try to sell ourselves as a distinct culture, a different, unique territory SA国际影视传媒� Why isnSA国际影视传媒檛 our government like that?SA国际影视传媒�

While the current legislative assembly has an all-time high of six women among 22 MLAs, both Sheutiapik and Angnakak note itSA国际影视传媒檚 not always simple being a woman in a male-dominated assembly.

SA国际影视传媒淪ometimes I say, SA国际影视传媒榃hy do I have to yell to be heard?SA国际影视传媒� I donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to have to yell,SA国际影视传媒� said Sheutiapik.

Angnakak, meanwhile, recalls her experience with Premier Joe Savikataaq before he stripped her of ministerial duties.

SA国际影视传媒淚 felt and saw treatment towards me by the premier different than to my male colleagues as a cabinet minister,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Encouraging womenSA国际影视传媒檚 particpation
Thompson says women in Nunavut are way ahead of men in the employment sector.

SA国际影视传媒淢en are losing out. More men are also committing suicide,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have had women MPs, a woman premier, women mayors and women MLAs to sit at the legislature. There are also a lot of women sitting in committees and boards in the communities, maybe more than men.SA国际影视传媒�

Lawyer and Iqaluit Mayor Madeleine Redfern, who is also president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, isnSA国际影视传媒檛 looking back SA国际影视传媒� but she says women remain underrepresented, whether itSA国际影视传媒檚 at the municipal level, at the territorial level, with Inuit organizations and with community organizations.

SA国际影视传媒淲hatSA国际影视传媒檚 more important instead of speculating about what if, because itSA国际影视传媒檚 long gone, is the need to have more women participate in politics. How do we support that,SA国际影视传媒� she asked.

Sheutiapik notes in the Northwest Territories, the government struck a special committee looking at how to increase representation of women in the legislative assembly.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 something ISA国际影视传媒檓 certainly going to be looking at, to bring the idea forward,SA国际影视传媒� said Sheutiapik.

When she was mayor of Iqaluit, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities had a toolkit, which led her to hold an event in Iqaluit.

SA国际影视传媒淚 tried to generalize it. Even if itSA国际影视传媒檚 not for city council, get involved. Even if itSA国际影视传媒檚 committee level. Get out there. Get experience. Eva Aariak attended, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 when she ran and became the premier,SA国际影视传媒� said Sheutiapik. SA国际影视传媒淭here are benefits to those kinds of events. ISA国际影视传媒檓 certainly going to try and see if thereSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be support for a committee to try to increase women. It only makes sense for me to do it at this level, because I was involved at the municipal level.SA国际影视传媒�

Redfern said politics still remains a very male-dominated arena.
SA国际影视传媒淭hough, if we can see more women getting into politics it would be beneficial to attracting more women,SA国际影视传媒� said Redfern.

Women in power are a benefit
SA国际影视传媒淚 think that women have a lot of barriers put in front of them, but they can be overcome in time if we, as a society and the Government of Nunavut, would put special focus on areas that support women to succeed,SA国际影视传媒� said Angnakak.

SA国际影视传媒淔or example, creating adequate childcare services so women can participate in our economy, supporting more women with families to be able to go back to school, or provide work-friendly policies that will address the different needs of women who have children in the work place.SA国际影视传媒�

Redfern pointed to how women need to juggle multiple roles when it comes to family and work balance.

SA国际影视传媒淲omen are the primary caregivers in the home in addition to often trying to work and, in some cases, being the primary breadwinners.SA国际影视传媒�

Angnakak said it can be especially difficult in smaller communities for women to participate in politics, such as running against a family member, especially if that person is male,

SA国际影视传媒淥r the difficulties in of some families within our communities where when their wife, daughter or female cousin becomes the spokesperson of the community under their MLA hats SA国际影视传媒� this is not always supported by the family.SA国际影视传媒�

But, she says, women are just as capable as anyone else in regards to their abilities to work or govern.