On March 5, MLAs celebrated International WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Day early as the only legislature in Canada with near-gender parity.

Speaking in the house Thursday, members gave emotional tributes to their mothers and mentors. Premier Caroline Cochrane recognized her single motherSA国际影视传媒檚 work raising eight children. Minister Katrina Nokleby did the same, while sharing her experiences of sexual misconduct and sexism on the job site as an engineer.

SA国际影视传媒淚f it weren't for (my mother) holding my hand over the years, I wouldn't be standing here in front of you today,SA国际影视传媒� she told MLAs.

Kam Lake MLA Caitlin Cleveland and cabinet minister Paulie Chinna, who represents the Sahtu, took a different route: they thanked Yellowknife Centre Julie Green, who pioneered NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Women on the Ballot workshops with Cochrane.

It was part of the reason they took office, they said.

At those workshops, Green said women came forward with confidence concerns, but also more tangible issues SA国际影视传媒� like how to pay for a campaign and write a platform.

Those skills, ultimately, are what will solidify the last election's gains, she said in an interview.

SA国际影视传媒淚f we can offer specific advice at the time, and follow-up with mentoring, then the whole process looks a little bit more achievable,SA国际影视传媒� she said, noting other jurisdiction expressed interest in the workshop model.

Those workshops are set to grow, running twice yearly and expanding to five additional communities to promote woman candidates at all levels of government with an added online resource, Cochrane said in assembly on March 4.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a leg-up, Green said, considering men can enjoy a pipeline from lower levels of government to territorial and federal offices. As a result, she hoped that women elected to municipal and educational offices would make the next step to the legislature.

Other factors played into a wave of women being elected. The self-nomination process with no political party approval played a role, Green said.

But the institution has also made small changes.  It now includes change tables and family space, and other supports like stronger parental leave and childcare for extenuating circumstances.

There are other changes that NWT could adopt, Green said. A security policy, while not an issue so far, could be implemented as a preventative measure for women in politics.

SA国际影视传媒淚 do recognize that women have run the gamut from harassment online to actually being murdered as politicians, so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 something we need to consider,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淲omen deserve a spot at the tableSA国际影视传媒�

In a group interview after their comments on Thursday afternoon, female cabinet ministers and Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler shared their experience running for office. Three of them SA国际影视传媒� Nokleby, deputy premier and Health Minister Dianne Thom, and Semmler said said they attended the campaign schools.

The schools' most important impact, however, SA国际影视传媒渨as the encouragement of other women,SA国际影视传媒� Nokelby said, which she described as SA国际影视传媒渙verwhelming.SA国际影视传媒�

Chinna, who Green has also mentored, saw Thom and Semmler put their names forward last summer, which inspired her to run.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e all, majority, part of the same generation,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淕oing forward and looking at what we want to strive for as the Northwest Territories as women in leadership to inspire more women to come forward.SA国际影视传媒�

Thom said there were SA国际影视传媒渢hree strikes across our backSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� being a woman, Indigenous and educated.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou start in here and youSA国际影视传媒檙e already three strikes on your back and itSA国际影视传媒檚 so hard to come past that,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut that kind of motivates us. It motivated me. ISA国际影视传媒檝e got a masterSA国际影视传媒檚 degree, ISA国际影视传媒檓 Inuvialuit, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 female. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 care. ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to go do this.SA国际影视传媒�

Despite that, however, Thom said faced self-doubt and support from her husband played a key role overcoming it.

Cochrane agreed that men should play a role in supporting their counterparts for office.

SA国际影视传媒淗owever, that shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 stop women who are single, that do not have a support system,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲omen deserve to be at the table. You can do it.SA国际影视传媒�

Semmler similarly said her biggest enemy was self-confidence. She thought she had to check every box to be a candidate, when men didnSA国际影视传媒檛 do the same.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the difference between some women and a lot of men. TheySA国际影视传媒檒l just throw their hand in and say, weSA国际影视传媒檒l see where the cards fall,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e more like can we do it? How am I going to do this?SA国际影视传媒�

Caroline Wawzonek, who serves as minister of justice and of finance however, said perceived snags can become SA国际影视传媒渜uiet strengths.SA国际影视传媒� Lacking confidence could be empathy, and a focus on relationships could be a boon in a consensus government.

Coming from a smaller community, Chinna agreed. Like other women from smaller communities, she said, they had experience with ground level issues that could be a resource.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do have a lot set up against us already. I think it just ignites us to get even more powerful that it wakes up that passion inside. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 no intimidation,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e need to get the job done. We hear it, we see it and weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to do it.SA国际影视传媒�