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Climate change, housing insecurity, homelessness, rising infrastructure costs, and post-pandemic recovery have transformed municipal government into one of the most challenging arenas of public leadership. Rather than confronting a single crisis, local leaders increasingly govern amid multiple, overlapping pressures that require balancing…

Across Canada, there is growing recognition of the need for greater gender representation in politics, particularly at the municipal level where policy decisions directly shape everyday life. While progress over the past decade has increased the visibility of women in local government,…

For Patti Dalton, leadership is not defined by titles, authority, or personal ambition. As President of the London and District Labour Council, she understands leadership as an ethical commitment to use one's knowledge, skills, and privileges in service of others. It requires…

For many people, faith is associated with tradition, stability, and preserving established ways of doing things. For Linda Steel, however, faith demands something far more active. Throughout her career as a trustee with the London District Catholic School Board, she has understood…

This profile analyzes emotional labour through the leadership experience of my mentor, Linda Steel, a Catholic school board trustee working within a historically male-dominated institution. While emotional labour is often framed as invisible or secondary to formal decision-making, Linda’s leadership demonstrates that…

As my mentor, Helen Cole, founder of the Jean Collective: A Women In Politics Initiative, provided countless opportunities to learn about civic leadership — from attending professional conferences to participating in public events and community conversations. One of those experiences involved a…

Leadership is often associated with authority, formal positions, or political office. Yet many leaders shape their communities in quieter but equally powerful ways. Through teaching, mentoring, and storytelling, they create spaces where others can learn, question, and grow. During periods of political…

Before reconciliation became a political buzzword, Indigenous women were already leading through community, culture, and resistance. Yet dominant public discourse continues to frame Indigenous peoples primarily through crisis, relying on deficit-based narratives that obscure Indigenous knowledge, joy, and political leadership. It is…

Leadership is often celebrated through stories of confidence, decisiveness, and achievement. Far less attention is given to the quieter work that makes sustained leadership possible: managing emotions, navigating criticism, learning from failure, and finding the strength to continue serving others over time.…

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed nearly every aspect of daily life. Schools, workplaces, and social gatherings moved online almost overnight. Less frequently discussed, however, is how profoundly the pandemic altered political leadership. Council chambers, committee meetings, and public consultations were suddenly replaced by…