Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day. To mark the day, we sat down with the two women who were elected to Town of Bonnyville Council.
This term marks Mayor Elisa Brosseau’s second on Council. She first became a councillor in 2017 and decided to throw her name in for Mayor in the last election.
Mayor Brosseau is a married mother of three and has called Bonnyville home for most of her life.
Question: Why did you decide to run for Town Council?
Mayor Brosseau: I ran for Mayor because I know the importance of a role like this in our Community and I wanted to be part of the decisions that were being made to mold our community. As a long time resident and married mother of three young boys, my love for the area and people along with a strong vision of ‘Building community for a brighter future in Bonnyville’ were also my key motivators for running as Mayor.
Q: Do you think it’s important for women to be involved in municipal councils?
Mayor Brosseau: Yes, I absolutely think it’s important for women to get involved in municipal councils. It is important because this is the level of government closest to the people and the decisions they make impact the community directly. Therefore, as a woman we have a perspective that needs to be voiced and applied when making decisions for the community.
Q: What’s an important lesson you’ve learned during your time on council you may not have if you decided not to run?
Mayor Brosseau: An important lesson I have learned on council is that we do not live-in silos and that my reality is not everyone’s reality. There are so many walks of life that make up a community and what is important to one person is different for another; realizing this has made me a more compassionate and understanding leader. Especially when making decisions, it is not all black and white. One of my favorite quotes is from Isaac Newton “for every action there is an equal or opposing reaction” to me this means I might make a decision from my perspective then realize there are all of these other opinions and perspectives out there as well. This has taught me to try and take a pause before making decisions. I can’t know it all but I can remind myself that my reality is not in fact everyone else’s reality.
Q: For women who may be considering or don’t have an interest in politics, why would you encourage them to look into it?
Mayor Brosseau: I would encourage them to look in to it because their influence, perspectives and opinions can help in making decisions that can change their community not only for those in the community now but also for future generations. This is an opportunity for you to change and shape your community.
What unique qualities do you bring to the table being a woman?
Mayor Brosseau: I am open and able to go with the flow, I am not so stuck on one direction that I can’t see something else that might be as beneficial. Also, having the ability to work with many different types of people in order to see success is a quality I bring to the table. I really enjoy listening and learning, I don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room, because I know through engaging and empowering others, made me a stronger leader. I am a visionary and think of the future, this is important for decisions make now that will, hopefully, leave a lasting impact not only for my kids but for all generations in the Town of Bonnyville.