Fredericton council asks province for parental leave for city councillors
New Brunswick regulations currently make no parental leave provision for municipal councillors
Local government leaders could soon get to take the same parental leave available to other New Brunswickers.
At Fredericton city council Tuesday evening, councillors approved a motion to direct staff to draft a parental leave policy and ask the province to update regulations to allow it.
"I think it's way overdue, to be honest with you," said Deputy Mayor Jocelyn Pike, who chaired the council meeting.
"We want to be able to include different people and get different points of views and perspectives [on council], and this is one group that we're totally eliminating," Pike said of people who might consider serving on city council and having a family at the same time.
The report from Fredericton council's governance and civic engagement committee said there are now no specific sections regarding parental leave under the province's Local Governance Act, which deals with how municipal councils run.
"Municipalities in New Brunswick are behind in their consideration of parental leave for members of council," the report said.
"A component of diversity equity and inclusion work is to remove systemic barriers, including participation in municipal government, which a parental leave policy would aim to address."
Not a new issue
The report went on to explain that councillors are not able to contribute to employment insurance and are therefore ineligible to collect benefits for parental leave.
The issue has also come up in recent years for New Brunswick MLAs.
"If you want to have a baby and you're on council, you're tied up for four years," Pike said.
She added that it's "unfair" for people to have to hold off having a family if they want to be involved in city government.
Being a councillor is a big-time commitment, said Coun. Pike said.
Between weekly council meetings, additional committee meetings and work in her ward, "it's almost a full-time job for me, to be honest with you," Pike said.
Province open to discussion
Clarissa Andersen, a spokesperson with the Department of Local Government, said in an emailed statement that the department is "aware of recent decisions by some local government councils related to the adoption of a parental leave policy."
The Local Governance Act currently permits a member of council to be absent when authorized by council, but the department is open to discussing if additional measures may be required, the statement said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
Content Deactivated
David Amos
The Nanny State is here
David Amos
Reply to David Amos
In 1981 my wife and I became parents We kept our full time jobs and hired a Nanny When that child became a Mother she became a Nanny to many children
Deborah Reddon
Reply to David Amos
In 1981 the Unemployment Insurance Corp (UIC) paid six weeks sick leave to recover. And, fi you were a teacher or worked in a bank pregnant women had to resign before they started "to show". My my how times have changed.
David Amos
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Its still that way in a lot of places South of the Medicine Line
MR Cain
Reply to David Amos
Unemployment Insurance Corp? Kidding, right?
Reply to MR Cain
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
Sick leave is/was available through the UIC to ensure workers received a maintenance income during periods of illness when employer benefits were unavailable or when they had expired. UIC evolved into EI. Benefits have changed over the years although employees covered by a collective agreement have more coverage - the company plan if it exists, then the EI plan.
If you can't do the job don't apply for it.
David Amos
Reply to Jack Russell
Exactly
Hugh MacDonald
Being a Fredericton Councilor is a part-time position. Do those Councilors with full-time jobs get parental leave with their employers?
David Amos
Reply to Hugh MacDonald
Ask them
Marge Timmons
Enough will never be enough. Soon they are going to demand that they should be able to work from home.
David Amos
Reply to Marge Timmons
Of that I have no doubt
"it's almost a full-time job for me"
There was a job where two full time employees were needed to do certain work.
When they weren't busy they were supposed to help me, but they always said they were way too busy to do that.
One of them went on vacation and I had to fill in.
I figured out very quickly, that what took them 12 hours a day, I could do in an hour and half.
I reported my findings, and that job ceased to exist about a month later.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
I got some emails this week from spin doctors who were not wise to take a vacation and refer me to somebody else
Bobby Richards
This has gotten as bad as the Telegraph Journal. The same 2 people arguing all through the comment section.
Ronald Miller
Reply to Bobby Richards
Do people post under multiple names the way you do on here?
David Amos
Reply to Ronald Miller
Not me
Bobby Richards
Reply to Ronald Miller
Savoie will be deciding PC mla Dawson's fate very soon.
David Amos
Reply to Bobby Richards
So you say
Ronald Miller
Reply to Bobby Richards
Good to see the PC party continues to have people who can think individually and express their own thoughts and ideas even if they do not align with the party. It is too bad that does not happen in Ottawa where they continue to blindly follow a leader who has continued to drag this once great country down.
Bobby Richards
Reply to Ronald Miller
I want the PCs to win in NB in the future but I knew it wouldn't happen in 2024 with Higgs at the helm and will not happen with the misfits there now. It's gonna take rebuilding and a boatload of money.
Bobby Richards
Reply to Bobby Richards
Dawson didn't get anything. Not even his whip position and he is ticked.
Bobby Richards
Reply to Bobby Richards
PCNB already sold their 336 Regent St building to make some quick cash in 2018 at Higgs request.
Pa Ess
In most cases I support parental leave, but if you are an elected official how can you do your job if you aren't there? A riding needs representation whether the representative is pregnant or not. Bad idea all around for elected officials to have parental leave.
MR Cain
Reply to Pa Ess
Seems we were doing just that during the height of the pandemic; called ZOOM I believe.
Pa Ess
Reply to MR Cain
Sure.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
If you are on ZOOM, you are working hence not on Leave. Can't be both working and on leave at the same time.
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Brilliant. That would allow the woman during her convalescence to continue to work for her constituents. That does not seem to be much a problem.
David Amos
Reply to Pa Ess
I agree They should not have run for public office without being prepared to hire a Nanny with their own money if need be
MR Cain
So far, I have yet to see a comment that provides any logical argument against paying into a benefit that others enjoy. I believe it was Les Cooper who said New Brunswick was 50 years behind the times.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
The Canada Labour Code (CLC) and the Employment Standards Act (ESA) govern employee-employer relationships in Canada. When it's not clear they have criteria to determine if it meets the test. ie. does the employer assign specific duties, hours of work, is there vacation pay, etc.
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Each province has their own Codes and Standards.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
Yes, and Provinces are guided by the Federal legislation first, and then can make subtle differences such as what are the Stat Holidays, how much should vacation pay be....
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
A code is not law, and standards are not law. Provinces legislate.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
Any idea what happens when an employer breaks the labor code?
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Nothing. If the code is adopted by provincial legislation into law, it would be addressed in law.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
...you may want to brush up on that MR Cain.
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-2/page-39.html#
Deborah Reddon
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Deductions taken from pay cheques that could result in a payment from a Federal Program are not governed by a Province. The interpretation of what is or is not a 'relationship' is often done by the CRA who want a consistent application of the Canada Labour Code and Employment Standards Act.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
Reporting a link to the Canadian labor code.
Awful sure of your arguments when you do that .
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Of course. A good example would be the National Building Code. The province has to adopt it into law for it to be enforced. Labour Code Part 2 is health and safety; it needs to be negotiated to become part of the collective agreement, and/or adopted by the province in law.
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Ditto. This act covers some federal jurisdictions that have no union contracts such as agencies. The provinces adopt their own standards by their own law.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
I don't dispute that provinces enact legislation AND, so does the federal government which has the final say through the Supreme Court of Canada which trumps (no pun intended) Provincial Courts..
David Amos
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Do you believe in the Rule of Law?
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
In April 2024, the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board confirmed the decision of the Director of Employment Standards that an elected municipal councillor with a local government governed by the Local Governance Act was not an employee
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Stay on topic. All the city is asking is for direction to enable a woman to have some time off to have a baby. That is it.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
I am on topic. Council Members are 'contractors' and responsible for their own operations (business). They are not governed by the NB Employment and Labour laws which give rise to paid leaves of absence same as any other entrepreneur.
Ronald Miller
Meanwhile our current premier continues to backtrack, mislead, and flat our break promises she campaigned on. We have a mess in Fredericton, in NB, in Canada, and across the border. Ladies and gentlemen, democracy can fail, and fail miserably.
Ronald Miller
It is a part time job, end of story, I hope they are not granted this. About the only thing this council knows how to do is mismanage and give themselves raises, they would fit right in with our current federal gov't.
Deborah Reddon
What next from Fredericton Council?? This Council made increasing their stipend by 30% the first order of business. The second order of business was to raise taxes on properties Higgs identified for amalgamation (though Fredericton chose not to provide City services). There is no Employer-Employee relationship here and granting leave would create challenges to that relationship. Councilors have no formal hours of work other than meetings, no performance reviews or agreement on goals or accomplishments. Shame Shame to those who brought this forward.,
David Amos
Reply to Deborah Reddon
They were duly elected Hence we get the governments we deserve
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
There is no Employer-Employee relationship here and granting leave would create challenges to that relationship? What relationship?
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
That's right, no employer relationship. Though offering to pay monies where there is no obligation would probably generate a court case. I fully expect that NB Auditor General would find that the Municipality had spent monies they shouldn't have.
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Contradicting yourself and adding a bunch of irrelevant info does not validate anything said. The employer is the city on behalf of the constituents, the taxpayer.
Reply to MR Cain
David Amos
Reply to Deborah Reddon
City Council Members are more or less part time volunteer members who are paid a stipend to offset their costs . So are all volunteers across the province going to be receiving this same benefit . Will the volunteer who goes door to door for the Heart Foundation receive it , or the people collecting for religious organizations on a volunteer basis ? It is really laughable how people are coming out of the woodwork looking for some money and other freebies as Holt doles out taxpayer cash like water . That TWO and a HALF BILLION that Premier Higgs managed to pay down on the debt isn't going to last long.
Jack Bell
Reply to Matt Steele
They are entitled to their entitlements.... us common plebs can eat cake.
Jack Bell
Reply to Matt Steele
"people are coming out of the woodwork looking for some money and other freebies as Holt doles out taxpayer cash like water . That TWO and a HALF BILLION that Premier Higgs managed to pay down on the debt isn't going to last long."
Let's all live off of our credit cards while only making the minimum payments... what could possibly go wrong?
Mike Barkman
Reply to Matt Steele
Does the PCNB give you a paid parental rights leave for your job? Surely there must be incentives that they offered you.
Geordan Mann
Reply to Jack Bell
Hey who knows, maybe you will get some ice cream with the cake.
Geordan Mann
Reply to Jack Bell
Except it would really be federal $ that drove the surplus over the past number of years used by the bureaucracy to address debt burden, on paper at least, by not applying it to whatever social program it was intended for. That would likely include those covid transfers that were never talked about by the then NB government.
David Amos
Reply to Jack Bell
The 7th President and Vice-Chancellor of Cape Breton University and the ghost of Queen who lost her head long ago should feel honoured that you used their words in the same sentence
David Amos
Reply to Geordan Mann
What ice cream can I get with no cake to be had? Generally I have cigarette after I have been screwed
Jack Bell
Content Deactivated
"Hey who knows, maybe you will get some ice cream with the cake."
Will I be called h8full big-ottt for not liking the flavor of the day?
Bobby Richards
Reply to Mike Barkman
PCNB is broke. Higgs put them $500,000 in the negative.
Ronald Miller
Reply to Bobby Richards
Care to share your proof to back this up? Yeah, that is what I thought. Meanwhile, Holt of going to put in her own carbon tax, and when JT gets the boot next year and the federal carbon tax is gone, we will be one of only provinces still paying it, well done Hot. Great flip flop post election on her distance from JT.
Bobby Richards
Reply to Ronald Miller
I was told at the AGM on Saturday. That's all the proof I need.
Ronald Miller
Reply to Bobby Richards
So you can't, as expected. What name do you register under when you attend those meetings?
Bobby Richards
Reply to Ronald Miller
I didn't see you there.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
I bet you didn't see a lot of folks
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Ronald Miller
I have talked to a few uppity PC people and nobody has heard of him
Bobby Richards
Reply to David Amos
Small crowd and a waste of time. It's the same group (mlas and executive) and they want to move ahead without changing anything. Most of the elected former MLAs think that they were wronged and the voters just don't get it. They still think they are smarter than the voters (Higgs mentality) and that they can convince NB to vote them back in in 2028. I won't be renewing my membership until there is a purge.
David Amos
Reply to Bobby Richards
Did you explain the things you posted on June 6th?
Murray Brown
They on Mondays... And it's 'almost a full-time job.'??? I doubt that full time is applicable to their situation. Taking a couple of hours on Monday night to show up at a meeting is the least that they can do... Seriously... The least.
MR Cain
Reply to Murray Brown
They are involved in a little more than one meeting a week.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
The Fredericton City Council holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7:30 PM
Jack Bell
Reply to Jack Bell
... so almost a full time job.
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
What else do they do? Any idea?
Deborah Reddon
Reply to Murray Brown
You hit the nail on the head. There are no established hours of work, some might accomplish all tasks in a few hours, some may struggle for days. However, there is no performance critique in 4 years time. And they raised their stipend as the first order of business.
Cry me a river
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Answering to the citizens' wrath is critique enough. Maybe bring back stoning.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
"What else do they do? Any idea?"
Apparently, get parental leave for almost full time work.
Any idea when everyone who isn't in politics will be getting sweetheart deals as well?
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
If you don't know, just say so.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
I do know, just wanted to hear it from our resident expert on everything.
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Your turn then.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Deborah Reddon
"Cry me a river"
it appears that you got your wish
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
Any idea when you'll provide us with the answer to the question?
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
After you answer mine.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
"Local Government and the Role and Responsibilities of Council"
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Corporate/Promo/localgovreform/docs/roles-and-responsibilities.pdf
Here you go, now answer my question.
MR Cain
Reply to MR Cain
Sweetheart deal? We have a change of government so good things are happening as we speak. In the meantime while waiting for the tax break on electrical bills, and the end of the clean fuel surcharge, your kids can now use pronouns without telling you.
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
I knew you didn't know.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
It's in the document... reading troubles?
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Like I said, you didn't know; you had to look it up.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
Easier to post a link... which is way more than you did, posting hopes and dreams.
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
When one knows the subject, it is even easier.
Bobby Richards
Reply to Jack Bell
Sounds like you 2 watched too much Pee-wee Herman
Jack Bell
Reply to Bobby Richards
Pee-Wee's big adventure was the Citizen Kane of bicycle movies.
David Amos
Reply to Bobby Richards
Have you apologized yet?
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
It was my job to know; you can dream and hope.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
You should talk to them.
Reply to MR Cain
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
You never knew.
Reply to MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Councillors are paid a salary of about $30k per year. If they contributed to EI they could take 6 weeks off after the birth of their child, be paid about $300 a week, and attend to city business virtually. A minor accommodation by removing barriers to more women running for office. Don't see a problem.
Chris Merriam
Reply to MR Cain
perfect....you hire them then.
MR Cain
Reply to Chris Merriam
They are volunteers who are elected.
Tom
Reply to MR Cain
They aren't volunteers, they are paid. It is a paid elected position.
Jack Bell
Reply to MR Cain
"volunteers" who make more money in a year than people who work full time at minimum wage jobs.
MR Cain
Reply to Jack Bell
Maybe they should find another job. Maybe raise wages to livable wages.
MR Cain
Reply to Tom
They are volunteers, same as any other politician.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
They are not employees as they don't receive a 'salary'. They are not employees as they have complete control over their hours of work and how much effort they wish to put into it. The only critique of their performance comes at election time, again not an employee. Official meetings are minimal and they are free to send regrets if they chose.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
Inaccurate, if it was a salary they would have to pay Employment Insurance. There are very strict rules about what is and is not an employer - employee relationship and this doesn't fit the definition. It's not a minor accommodation
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Have ever volunteered to be a counsellor; done the work?
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
According to the CRA, they are collecting a salary, they pay taxes.
David Amos
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Its comical to read how much somebody thinks he knows about the CRA
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
I have dealt with situations where there is a murky employer - employee relationship, as with scientists who accept a 'stipend' from the National Research Council to work at federal establishments. They don't pay into UI, nor do they get pregnancy leaves.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to Deborah Reddon
Incorrect, if it was salary the Municipality must deduct all the usual taxes, EI, CPP,, etc. that they do for all other staff members.
MR Cain
Reply to Deborah Reddon
You have never been elected to represent anybody and collected a salary. Case closed.
Deborah Reddon
Reply to MR Cain
You are making this personal when it's really just facts. Federally, elected officials are given a salary as their work is determined to be full time and the 'employer' provides an office, staff support solely for the MP. Elected is not the criteria.
Reply to Deborah Reddon
There is no argument; no need to make up stories.
Tom
Reply to MR Cain
Volunteers aren't paid a salary which you wrote was 30K. Their actual salary including allowances is over 37K for 2023.
MR Cain
Reply to Tom
I guesstimated.
https://www.fredericton.ca/en/media/file/council-remuneration-salary-allowances-2023
soldiers volunteer and are paid a salary
"councillors are not able to contribute to employment insurance and are therefore ineligible to collect benefits for parental leave. " and "it's almost a full-time job for me, to be honest with you," are the two standout quotes.
David Amos
Reply to Chris Merriam
Yup
Jack Bell
I almost went to work today, they should pay me for a full days work.
I almost drove the speed limit, that speeding ticket should be annulled.
The Montreal Canadiens almost won 50% of their games, they should be given the Stanley cup.
David Amos
Reply to Jack Bell
I don't get speeding tickets because the Crown won't renew my drivers licence Hence we have no contract
Jack Bell
'almost a full-time job.'
Funny how I almost care..... but I don't.
Don't like your current job, get a different one.
Les Cooper
Seriously?
Jack Bell
Reply to Les Cooper
I almost bought a lottery ticket, I should win something for that.
David Amos
Reply to Les Cooper
I am
Ian McIntyre
Life is full of tough choices. You want a job where you get to make arbitrary decisions for others who have no control over your decisions or actions with practically no oversight or accountability to speak of, you already have that job. What do you need kids for?
Les Cooper
Reply to Ian McIntyre
Exactly! Can't have both. Career or kids.
Ian McIntyre
Reply to Ian McIntyre
Right?!? Four year job and they want a year off with pay. Totally makes sense. Hey, can we come over to their house and babysit for free? Maybe wash their cars? Btw if a four year gig as a town counsellor now counts as a “career”, clearly I have been using the word “career” wrong my entire life.
MR Cain
Reply to Ian McIntyre
6 weeks is normal period after birth.
David Amos
Reply to
Well put
Alex Butt
They should ONLY be entitled to parental leave if they work the same amount of hours required, pay into EI etc as the rest of us. If not, then pick one and not the other!
David Amos
Reply to Alex Butt
Amem
MLA pushes for accommodations for new parents in the legislature
MLAs don't pay into employment insurance and thus can't take paid parental leave
New Brunswick MLAs who've talked for years about making the legislature more welcoming to women now face an imminent decision about how to live up to that sentiment.
Memramcook-Tantramar Green MLA Megan Mitton announced Monday, International Women's Day, that she's pregnant with her second child.
It will be the first time in 24 years that a female MLA has given birth while in office, and Mitton said it's past time to talk about how new parents who are elected members can be accommodated.
"There's an opportunity for families in our legislative assembly to work together, to have a plan in place, have policies on the books so that people know what to expect when they're expecting," said Mitton, who is due in June.
That means young women "who aren't in office yet but are thinking that they might be interested know that you can be a woman and have a baby while in office, or that if you are a younger person wanting to start a family, that that's a possibility."
Progressive Conservative house leader Glen Savoie said he agrees the legislative administration committee should examine how to "remove the barriers" to more women running for office.
PC House Leader Glen Savoie agrees a legislative committee needs to look for ways to make it easier for women to seek office. (Radio-Canada file photo)
"We do have to look at ways to help encourage women in politics and ensure that women feel supported as part of the democratic process," he said.
Mitton, a 34-year-old second-term MLA, said she knew when she first ran in 2018 that she might have another child while in office, but it was important to her to bring a young woman's point of view to the legislature as a way of pushing for change.
Now that she's pregnant she has already asked legislature staff about easy moves such as installing changing tables in the building's washrooms, and "I've got a commitment that we can make that happen pretty quickly."
But other issues she's raising, such as parental leave and virtual voting, aren't as straightforward.
"This is a more complicated workplace than most," she said.
MLAs face unique exemption from benefits
Unlike most employees, MLAs don't pay into the employment insurance system so they're not eligible for the benefits paid out by the system when new parents take maternity or paternity leave.
And someone else can't simply backfill her position if she's away, because only elected members can sit and take part in debates and votes.
Mitton says more funding for constituency staff could help her keep up with issues in her riding. And allowing virtual voting or proxy voting would let her participate without being in the capital, or would permit another MLA to vote in her place.
But virtual voting has already proven a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the opposition of Education Minister Dominic Cardy, who says it would go against centuries-old parliamentary traditions.
Cardy has blocked the adoption of virtual sittings to accommodate MLAs living in health zones under travel restrictions. He argued in part that it would open the door to MLAs participating from home for a range of other non-pandemic reasons.
A committee of MLAs that sets procedural rules is scheduled to revisit the issue Wednesday.
Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West Progressive Conservative MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason said she supports Mitton fully on "the need to have the discussion" but ideas like parental leave are not straightforward.
PC
MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason said it is worth further investigating the
possibility of virtual participation in a sitting of the legislature or
of a committee. (Radio-Canada)
"We know when we take this job that we are giving up part of who we are to the public," she says, and constituents will want reassurance "that they won't be left without representation."
Anderson-Mason, who twice returned to her previous job as a lawyer within weeks of giving birth, sits on the legislative administration committee that establishes salaries and benefits for MLAs.
She says virtual sittings are worth talking about because of COVID-19 and to accommodate new parents and other situations, such as MLAs who have to care for elderly parents.
She says the system should be flexible but would still need criteria for when someone can participate virtually.
Changes reasonable, says former MLA
Former Liberal MLA Carolle de Ste-Croix, the last member of the New Brunswick legislature to give birth while in office, said other assemblies with British parliamentary traditions have been able to adjust to accommodate new parents.
"There's no reason you need to drive for four hours to put in a vote in or ask a question on committee," she said.
"What is wrong with the archaic structure of our legislature that we can't change?"
Carolle De Ste-Croix is the last woman to have a child while a sitting New Brunswick MLA. (Submitted by Carolle de Ste-Croix)
In 2018, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took six weeks of maternity leave. Her deputy prime minister filled in.
De Ste-Croix, who is now a Green supporter living in Mitton's riding, was elected in Dalhousie-Restigouche East in the 1995 election.
She gave birth two years later and asked the legislative administration committee for an increase to her riding office budget from $5,000 to $10,000 to hire someone to handle some administrative tasks.
That would have allowed her to work 40 hours a week rather than the 60 to 70 hours she had been putting in.
"That's all I was asking for, and that was denied,' she said. "There wasn't a lot of interest in trying to accommodate me. I was shut down quite a bit when it came to this.
"I was seen as very much a rebel and a troublemaker and I wasn't really asking for much."
Eventually fellow Liberal MLA Edmond Blanchard, the finance minister from the next-door riding of Campbellton, used some extra money in his constituency office budget to hire someone to help her for six months.
The challenge of having children while travelling to the legislature has been the biggest concern raised by women de Ste-Croix has tried to encourage to run over the years, first for the Liberals and then for the Greens.
"If we can't fix our own house, how are we going to help other New Brunswick women and other New Brunswick families who are in different situations?"
Mitton says staff have been very good about making some accommodations for her, but admits it's a 'complicated' workplace. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Mitton said one obvious reason there still hasn't been changes in the almost quarter-century since de Ste-Croix's experience "is that there haven't been that many women, and there haven't been that many young women in my position who have been elected."
Human resources staff at the legislature have been "supportive" so far, she said, adding that accommodations wouldn't just help women having babies while holding office but also benefit male MLAs who get little time with their newborn children.
Her Green colleague Kevin Arseneau only had a few hours with his wife and newborn child before having to leave for Fredericton for a sitting.
"So I'm really hopeful that MLAs across party lines will take advantage of this opportunity to put in writing ... new policies that make our legislature more accessible and therefore also improve representation of all New Brunswickers," Mitton said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
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