Women won landmark elections across the US on Tuesday November 4, and the transition team for the NYC mayor is all women.  What does this mean for women locally?  Darcie Renaud and Anastasia Adams join us for a great conversation.  We also talked about how even the President of Mexico is not safe from men thinking they have the right to touch her in public.  Do women in positions of authority have a higher duty to take action when they are victims of assault?

Leigh Vachon was so moved by the decision of the Alberta Government to direct school boards to limit access to books that she wrote an impassioned Facebook post about it.  That prompted Jessica to invite her to WOW Politics to talk about how the debate about access to books is really a debate about access to understanding the other. When politicians limit our ability to understand our neighbours, friends and colleagues, they limit our political discourse in ways that go beyond simply prudishness about bodies. 

Ward 2 watchers Sheila Wisdom, Caroline Taylor and Lady Laforet join us to talk about how the current slate of 15 candidates in the by-election responded to our questions about what is important to women in the area and how they plan to encourage women to vote.  We had a lot of fun. 

Krystalynn Singh is running for City Council in Ward 2.  She talked to Melinda about her life long dream of being Prime Minister and how she decided to take her career in property management and apply it to politics.  

Christie Nelson cut her teeth in politics winning a seat on the Greater Essex County District School Board.  She is running for the open seat in Windsor's Ward 2.  We talked about why she is jumping into the deeper political pool and how her experiences have led her to this decision.  

Tory McKay is running in the Lasalle by-election.  We talked to her about her career, her family and her ideas for the community.  Take a listen.  

Kate Paddon is running in the Lasalle By-election to replace the late Sue Desjarlais.  We interviewed her to find out what motivated her to try and knock on 12,000 doors before October 20.  

You can learn more about Kate here.

Is taking the bus a gendered issue?  Darcie Renaud, Leslie McCurdy and Valerie Bonasso join WOW politics to talk about whether cancelling the Transit Windsor School Extras will have a greater impact on women (moms) than men (dads).  

I want confirmation on my information about my transportation from Massey station
(She wants confirmation on her information on her transportation from Massey station)
Gimme confirmation about my information about my transportation from Massey station
(She wants confirmation on her information on her transportation from Massey station)
(Apologies to the Shuffle Demons)

You can watch Darcie's trip to Massey Highschool here.

How do you talk to kids about politics, feminism and women in leadership.  There are no two better women to guide us through this topic than Kate Graham, professor of political science, mom of a five year old girl and author of Govern Like a Girl and Run the World Like a Girl, and Jess Macasaet, Windsor activist and mom of two busy boys.

Don't worry, we talk about representation versus ideology.  

Kristen Siapas, Leslie McCurdy and Anastasia Adams join us for our first current affairs panel.  We stray from urban planning to criminal justice to gender segregated schools.  Join us for a fun and interesting conversation that proves not all women think alike.  

This week Melinda and Jessica talk about two important social movements in Ontario for women in elected office.  Women of Ontario Say No is a group of women pushing for changes to the Municipal Act to allow Councillors to be removed from office for serious acts of harassment.  Elect Respect is a project from Burlington that seeks to promote more civility towards and between elected officials.  We discuss why we need efforts like this and whether they will be effective. 

Linda McCurdy and Gemma Grey-Hall are two powerhouse women who have run for office in Windsor and Essex County.  We interviewed them live at Art Windsor-Essex on July 17.  Listen in on a rollicking but also frank discussion of what it means to run for office as a woman of colour.  

We are grateful to Art Windsor-Essex for hosting our first live recording.  

No one epitomizes women in politics and the elbows up philosophy better than Sandra Pupatello.  Former Ontario Cabinet Minister and now Senator, Sandra took time out of her busy schedule to talk to Melinda and Jessica about why the economy is the most important issue for women today.  She also shared her experiences from being a young campaign aide to running for office and provides good advice on the value of speaking French and wearing comfortable shoes.  

Three of Windsor's best campaign managers join us to share the secrets of running campaigns for women and by women.  Valerie Bonasso, Darcie Renaud and Pat Papadeas have run campaigns for municipal, provincial and federal candidates for over twenty years.  If you like political strategy, want to know the inside dope on how campaigns work or just like war stories, this episode is for you.  Bonus if you can guess who our unauthorized interloper was!  

Anne Jarvis is the doyenne of political commentary in Windsor Essex having spent a career following politics and politicians through the region.  She joins Jessica and Melinda to talk federal election, recounts, conservative sweeps and why women should run for office.  

Mayor of Lasalle Crystal Meloche was bitten by the public service bug early.  After watching her husband run unsuccessfully for Council she knew this was the job for her.  Representing young women and young moms was the driver to push her into politics.  

Lori Wightman is running for the NDP in Essex County.  She is one of only two women running in the region.  She had a good chat with Melinda and Jessica about being drawn to public life, running for election and whether women are just better at getting things done. 

Sherry Bondy, Mayor of the Town of Essex is a household name in this region.  She joined Melinda and Jessica for a fun and inspiring conversation about the work of being a rural mayor in challenging times.  She also let us in on a bit of the ELK Energy story.  

Kelsey Santarossa was the youngest person ever elected in an Ontario municipality in 2018 when she ran in Lakeshore for the first time.  Melinda and Jessica talk about the challenges of not only being a woman but being a young woman.  Kelsey shares her incredible optimism for the future even in trying times.