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'Gender inequity' on Coquitlam committee

Coun. Bonita Zarrillo tells council not enough women on economic development advisory committee

Coquitlam’s citizen appointments to the city’s advisory committees didn’t get its usual rubber stamp from council because of a gender inequity on one of them.

When it came time for council to approve the appointments Monday, Coun. Bonita Zarrillo questioned why only two of the 11 prospective citizen appointees to the economic development committee were women. In addition, the committee chair is Coun. Brent Asmundson, the vice chair Coun. Chris Wilson and Michael Hind is the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce representative.

Zarrillo said seven women applied but only two were appointed. She noted United Nations guidelines say there needs to be at least 30% women’s representation in order for their voice to be heard. 

“This matters to me, and there’s just no way I could approve this committee based on the number of women who were refused access to this committee,” said Zarrillo.

Zarrillo
Coquitlam Coun. Bonita Zarrillo

In a Facebook posting prior to the meeting, Zarrillo wrote, “The economic development advisory committee has operated at the city of Coquitlam for four years and daycare never got on the agenda. The committee is heavily weighted male. This year I will not be approving a committee that is not more balanced to represent working women’s issues.

Council agreed with her proposal to accept the nominated appointees but direct staff to review the applications to add another woman to the committee. 

“I know so many women who would qualify for economic development but didn’t apply,” said Coun. Trish Mandewo. “I’m going to take it as a challenge to myself to get more women to apply.”

City clerk Jay Gilbert said of the 110 applicants the city received, 57 were for women. The 60 slots on the committees were filled by 31 women and 29 men with the multicultural and culture committees having a majority of women on them.

Mayor Richard Stewart said he was in favour of having the right criteria when the call for citizens to apply to make sure there is no suggestion from council that staff has a bias.

“We have to continue to refine our data to show what we’re looking for and be as gender neutral as possible, but making sure it’s gender balanced is more difficult,” said Stewart.

ggranger@tricitynews.com