Winnipeg, MB – Today, to mark International Women’s Day, Speaker Devi Sharma, Councillor for Old Kildonan, unveiled a photo display celebrating a century of women on Winnipeg City Council. The piece will be hung in the Susan A. Thompson Building at a later date.
2021 marks 100 years since the inauguration of Jessie Kirk, the first woman elected to Winnipeg’s City Council. Since then, Winnipeg elected its first woman Mayor, Susan A. Thompson, in 1992, and its first woman Speaker of Council, Devi Sharma, who was elected to the role of Speaker in 2013.
“I am proud to celebrate the centennial of Jessie Kirk’s inauguration by unveiling this display that recognizes all the women who have served on Winnipeg City Council and blaze forth a path for increased representation in our civic government,” said Councillor Sharma. “It’s important for us to highlight these women as examples for current and future generations.”
As part of this special centenary year, the City is proud to celebrate the 33 women who have served on City Council since 1921 for their achievements in government, their legacy to the community, and the inspiration they give to every young woman who aspires to civic leadership.