News

October is Women’s History Month in Canada, a time to celebrate the women and girls from our past, and our present, who are contributing to a better, more inclusive Canada. In 1992, the Government of Canada designated October as Women’s History Month, marking the beginning of an annual month-long celebration of the outstanding achievements of women and girls throughout Canada’s history.

This year’s theme, Women Making History Now, recognizes the amazing women who are making a lasting impact in our country, especially in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to advance reconciliation, through their work and commitment to make our country a better place.

Get involved:

• Visit the Women of Impact in Canada gallery, which recognizes the contributions and achievements of 100 exceptional Canadian women and girls who have made an impact in politics, the arts and sciences, and countless other fields.
• Nominate a woman of impact who has inspired you!
• View Women in Canadian History: A Timeline, to learn more about notable events in Canadian women’s history.

Post Author: Elaina Eifler, Women+Power Board Member & Chair, Events and Programs
Book Author: Wab Kinew

Wab Kinew was named by the National Post as “an Aboriginal leader seeking to engage with Canadians at large”. The Reason You Walk is a moving father-son reconciliation told by a charismatic First Nations broadcaster, musician, and activist. Wab opens up in this book and shares personal details about his life, struggles and successes.

I committed to reading books by Indigenous authors to educate myself and to create common ground in an effort to address my biases.  I connected with this book because our family also struggles and fails – these are human experiences. The more we can connect as human beings the more we move towards reconciliation.

Learning more about the Sundance was a highlight. Wab explains, “If you were to enter the centre of the Sundance circle, then you would understand the beauty of what happens there. The shake of the cottonwood trees in the breeze, the swing and sway of prayer flags of every colour tied to the branches, the chorus of cicadas singing a perfect soundtrack for the sweltering heat, and the feeling of hundreds of supporters standing on the edge of the circle watching you”. This sacred tradition is so deeply moving and important. I am inspired to reflect on my own cultural traditions to determine which ones have this kind of deep meaning and significance in my life. I expect this gift will bring me closer to my truth, my family and myself.

I encourage everyone to read this book.  You will laugh, cry, reflect, connect and be given the gift of curiosity to learn more about yourself and where you come from.

At Women+Power we plan to continue offering member events to deepen the conversation and action towards reconciliation in Canada. Join Us as a member today to be invited to future events!

Enjoy,

Elaina Eifler
Chair, Events and Programs | Women+Power

Resources:

The Reason You Walk: A Memoir
Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action

September 30, 2021

Today marks the 1st National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day that honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day that honours the children who survived Indian Residential Schools and remembers those who did not, is also recognized today. Canadians are encouraged to wear orange (a shirt or even a ribbon) to raise awareness of the very tragic legacy of residential schools and to honour the thousands of Survivors. This day relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. On her first day of school, she arrived dressed in a new orange shirt, which was taken from her. It is now a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

Women+Power acknowledges this monumental day in the spirit of reconciliation and the hope for a brighter future for our Indigenous Peoples. We must do more to deepen our understanding. We must come together to pause, lament and reflect – to embrace our shared humanity. We must commit to doing better.

We invite you to take the opportunity to reflect on Canada’s dark past and explore the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and stories of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Whether you want to read, listen, or watch, click this link to start your learning journey today.

Women+Power is beyond grateful for the in-kind support provided by Gold Circle PR from May to July! Our social media feed was full of amazing content and imagery courtesy of Olivia Jacobs, Founder of Gold Circle PR, and her talented team. Olivia is a passionate advocate for women and children and proudly supports Women+Power, understanding first-hand the importance of diversity in the workplace and the systemic struggles women face to get a seat at the boardroom table.

Gold Circle PR is a public relations firm supporting mission-driven organizations across North America through a roster of specialized services that range from media to brand building. Gold Circle PR intentionally built their firm around a core belief and value system that supports the business objectives of creators, innovators and visionaries, allowing us to create positive, impactful change together.

Author: Georgina Newell, Women+Power Board Member & Manager, Operations Compliance at TransAlta

At certain times in my 25-year career, I have often found it important to sit back and reflect.

• Who am I?
• Am I where I want to be in life?
• Have I made a positive impact?
• Am I doing what I love?
• Do I work with people I admire?
• Who is my inspiration?

Sometimes the answers to these questions are obvious and other times the answers remain unclear.

Recently, I found myself at a similar crossroads. I felt like I had lost sight of my personal core values and I needed to reset. This led me to the realization that I needed to re-ground myself in the things I find most important and that I couldn’t do it alone. To do this, I needed help from someone I trusted and more importantly, someone who wouldn’t pass judgement.

Fast forward, I decided I would engage my coach to help me on my journey. She took me through an exercise called the Standards of Integrity (Reference: #Maria Nemeth – #ACE Academy for Coaching Excellence). I identified 7 qualities that resonated with me and these have since become my standards of integrity or core values.

Upon realizing that I am all of the amazing qualities that I identified, I felt slightly choked up and experienced the ‘having your heart in your throat’ feeling. It ended up being one of the most impactful moments I experienced in a long time.

These are a few of my standards of integrity:
I am smart, funny, genuine…

Included below is the #Standards of Integrity exercise. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Standards of Integrity Exercise (10-15 minutes)

1. Get a blank piece of paper.
2. Draw a line down the middle.
3. On the left side write down the names of 5-10 people you admire. This can be anyone real or fictional.
4. On the right side write down the qualities you admire in each of them.
5. Go through the list of qualities and circle the ones that warm your heart.
6. The ones that warm your heart are your standards of integrity or core values.
7. Write down your refined list and place it somewhere you can view it often.

Your card will look like this:

These are my standards of integrity:
I am quality 1, quality 2 …
I know they are mine because I see them in others.

Women+Power is pleased to announce a new financial sponsor, TransAlta! “We are proud to include TransAlta as a sponsor. TransAlta has established as its objective that women should comprise at least 50% of the directors on the Board and 40% of their workforce by 2030. TransAlta’s recently announced objective is closely aligned with the objective of Women+Power to increase gender diversity in the power industry in Alberta,” said Women+Power Founder and CEO, Sharleen Gatcha.

TransAlta owns, operates, and develops a diverse fleet of electrical power generation assets in Canada, the United States, and Australia with a focus on long-term shareholder value. TransAlta provides municipalities, medium and large industries, businesses, and utility customers with clean, affordable, energy-efficient and reliable power. Today, TransAlta is one of Canada’s largest producers of wind power and Alberta’s largest producer of hydroelectric power. For over 100 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud community member where its employees work and live. TransAlta aligns its corporate goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and has been recognized by CDP (formerly Climate Disclosure Project) as an industry leader on Climate Change Management, having recently achieved an A- score.

When asked about TransAlta’s decision to sponsor Women+Power, CEO John Kousinioris stated, “The advancement of women and diversity is a top priority at TransAlta. The persistent inequities around the world underscore the urgent need to remove barriers and promote an inclusive working environment for all employees where everyone belongs and can bring their authentic selves to work. We are dedicated to raising awareness about equity, diversity, and inclusion at work. When we do so, we create space for our employees to unlock their potential, to be highly engaged, and to reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate, ultimately leading to an enhanced employee experience and the success of our company.”

June 24, 2021

In lieu of our July and August monthly entries for the EmPOWERment Hub that are submitted by Women+Power board members, we have compiled a list of recommended industry books plus two leadership books for you to consider reading over the summer. We will continue our monthly entries in September. In the meantime, we hope you find this list useful. We would love to hear from you if you do read one of these books and can share any insights gained!

1. Energy for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines by Richard Muller (2012)
   
   The near-meltdown of Fukushima, the upheavals in the Middle East, the BP oil rig explosion, and the looming reality of global warming have reminded the president and all U.S. citizens that nothing has more impact on our lives than the supply of and demand for energy. Its procurement dominates our economy and foreign policy more than any other factor. But the “energy question” is more confusing, contentious, and complicated than ever before. We need to know if nuclear power will ever really be safe. We need to know if solar and wind power will ever really be viable. And we desperately need to know if the natural gas deposits in Pennsylvania are a windfall of historic proportions or a false hope that will create more problems than solutions. Richard A. Muller provides all the answers in this must-read guide to our energy priorities now and in the coming years.
   
2. The Energy Switch: How Companies and Customers are Transforming the Electrical Grid and the Future of Power by Peter Kelly-Detwiler (2021)
   
   The way humans produce, distribute and consume power will be cleaner, cheaper, and infinitely more complex within the next decade. In The Energy Switch, leading energy industry expert Peter Kelly-Detwiler looks at all aspects of the transformation: how we got here, where we are going, and the implications for all of us in our daily lives.
   
3. Revolutionary Power by Shalanda Baker (2021)
   
   Revolutionary Power is a playbook for the energy transformation complete with a step-by-step analysis of the key energy policy areas that are ripe for intervention. Baker tells the stories of those who have been left behind in our current system and those who are working to be architects of a more just system. She draws from her experience as an energy-justice advocate, a lawyer, and a queer woman of color to inspire activists working to build our new energy system. In Revolutionary Power, Shalanda Baker arms those made most vulnerable by our current energy system with the tools they need to remake the system in the service of their humanity. She argues that people of color, poor people, and indigenous people must engage in the creation of the new energy system in order to upend the unequal power dynamics of the current system.
   
4. The Power Brokers: The Struggle to Shape and Control the Power Industry by Jeremiah Lambert (2015)
   
   For more than a century, the interplay between private, investor-owned electric utilities and government regulators has shaped the electric power industry in the United States. Provision of an essential service to largely dependent consumers invited government oversight and ever more sophisticated market intervention. The industry has sought to manage, co-opt, and profit from government regulation. In The Power Brokers, Jeremiah Lambert maps this complex interaction from the late nineteenth century to the present day.
   
5. The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future by Gretchen Bakke (2016)
   
   America’s electrical grid, an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, is turning out to be a poor fit for the present. It’s not just that the grid has grown old and is now in dire need of basic repair. Today, as we invest great hope in new energy sources–solar, wind, and other alternatives–the grid is what stands most firmly in the way of a brighter energy future. If we hope to realize this future, we need to reimagine the grid according to twenty-first-century values. It’s a project which forces visionaries to work with bureaucrats, legislators with storm-flattened communities, moneymen with hippies, and the left with the right. And though it might not yet be obvious, this revolution is already well under way.
   
6. Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives by Vaclav Smil (2016)
   
   Based on the best international and national statistical sources, the second edition of Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives supplies an in-depth evaluation of how economies and nations around the world are striving to move away from traditional energy sources, the unfolding decarbonization process, and problems with intermittent energies and national transition plans. It supplies readers with a clear introduction to the basic properties of energy systems and key concepts of their appraisal, puts energy transition patterns in long-term historical perspective, and looks at the energy transition in eight of the world’s leading economies. The last chapters focus on the advances in the decarbonization of the global energy supply and consider how the energy transition will continue in the coming decades.
   
7. The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations by Daniel Yergin (2020)
   
   The world is being shaken by the collision of energy, climate change, and the clashing power of nations in a time of global crisis. Out of this tumult is emerging a new map of energy and geopolitics. The “shale revolution” in oil and gas has transformed the American economy, ending the “era of shortage” but introducing a turbulent new era. Almost overnight, the United States has become the world’s number one energy powerhouse. Yet concern about energy’s role in climate change is challenging the global economy and way of life, accelerating a second energy revolution in the search for a low-carbon future. All of this has been made starker and more urgent by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic dark age that it has wrought. A master storyteller and global energy expert, Daniel Yergin takes the reader on an utterly riveting and timely journey across the world’s new map. He illuminates the great energy and geopolitical questions in an era of rising political turbulence and points to the profound challenges that lie ahead.
   
8. Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy by Jigar Shah (2013)
   
   Jigar Shah, internationally recognized for revolutionizing the now multi-billion-dollar solar energy industry, outlines how entrepreneurs and investors can unlock the massive potential that climate change represents. Shah argues that, while new technical innovation is valuable, deployment of existing technologies are the key to reaching our near-term climate targets. Rather than waiting for yet to be developed technology, business model innovation is the key to attract mainstream capital and unlock transformational change.
   
9. Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner (1993)
   
   The story of the American West is the story of a relentless quest for a precious resource: water. It is a tale of rivers diverted and dammed, of political corruption and intrigue, of billion-dollar battles over water rights, of ecological and economic disaster. In his landmark book, Cadillac Desert, Marc Reisner writes of the earliest settlers, lured by the promise of paradise, and of the ruthless tactics employed by Los Angeles politicians and business interests to ensure the city’s growth. He documents the bitter rivalry between two government giants, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in the competition to transform the West. Based on more than a decade of research, Cadillac Desert is a stunning expose and a dramatic, intriguing history of the creation of an Eden–an Eden that may only be a mirage.
   
10. Lucky and Good by John Sherriff (2013)
    
    Trading, poker, investing, gambling, starting a business, baseball, betting on lawsuits, innovation, and one insider’s story about the rise and fall of Enron. In “Lucky and Good,” John Sherriff, former Enron Europe CEO, shares his insights about what went right and wrong at Enron, his current business of betting on lawsuits as well as tales from the poker table and the sporting world to provide very useful and entertaining advice for anyone in business. John Sherriff is the former CEO of Enron Europe, based in London, which was one of the largest commodity-trading organizations in the world.
    
11. The Future Leader: 9 Skills and Mindsets to Succeed in the Next Decade by Jacob Morgan
    
    Based on interviews with over 140 of the world’s top CEOs and a survey of nearly 14,000 people, this book explores the mindsets and skills that will be essential to leading effectively over the next decade and beyond. Jacob purports that while some core aspects of leadership will remain the same, leaders of the future will need a new collection of skills and evolved mindsets to succeed. His commentary includes insights into significant trends impacting the future of leadership; top skills and mindsets future leaders will need and how to acquire them; new perceptions as to what leadership means; and challenges related to future-ready leadership.
    
12. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
    
    Data is relied upon daily to make critical economic decisions, inform government services and programs, develop products and so on. Historically, data collection and analytics have failed to consider the impact of gender bias within data sets. Male experiences and perspectives have often served as the “default” for data collected and considered, while female experiences and perspectives have been treated as “atypical”, often unknowingly. In this book, Caroline Criado Perez investigates how data bias has perpetuated gender inequality in government institutions, businesses, healthcare sector and more. This book will truly change the way you look at the world!

June 10, 2021

Last month, Women+Power reviewed a podcast with a supporting book to give busy women the opportunity to maximize moments to learn skills, even if reading a book before the summer is optimistic. This month we are continuing that trend. In her 2018 Tedx talk Women, Power and Revolutionary Speech, Eliza VanCort shares communication behaviours that empower women and offer ways for men to be allies. Eliza speaks on how every woman can claim her power by using four communication tools:

• Silence;
• Cadence (speak slowly);
• Pitch; and
• Emotional stamping.

Originally, she was going to use her presentation to talk about the constraints put on women when it comes to speech. It morphed into something more constructive by presenting tools women can use to be powerful communicators and claim their space. For too long, women have been told to confine themselves – physically, socially, and emotionally.

In Eliza’s TEDx talk, she shares her personal story interwoven with recommended actions for women and men to change their behaviours. She masterfully interweaves gruesome experiences with personal growth. As a child, Eliza was kidnapped by her mother, who was struggling with her own mental health issues, three times across state lines. Eliza uses her experiences as a transformational pivot in her life.

Spend 16 minutes of your life to learn how to move forward and communicate with power. If you have a weekend to devote to this topic, read Eliza’s book!

Women+Power is pleased to announce FortisAlberta as our newest sponsor! FortisAlberta delivers safe and reliable electricity service to more than 60 percent of Alberta’s total electricity distribution network — that’s electricity to more than half a million residential, farm and business customers from across central and southern Alberta. FortisAlberta operates in 240 communities with more than 124,000 kilometres of power lines. As an electricity provider, FortisAlberta builds, maintains and repairs the lines that keep the power on. Their team of more than 1,100 Albertans, including 350 lineworkers, are at your service today and every day, across more than 50 municipal districts and counties.

Janine Sullivan, President and CEO of FortisAlberta stated, “We are proud at FortisAlberta to celebrate the contributions of each individual in order to create a strong culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We seek to promote trust and awareness, strengthen voices that might not otherwise be heard and create opportunities to share individual perspectives. We recognize the importance of breaking down barriers for women and creating opportunities to lead within the electricity industry.”

You can meet Janine Sullivan at our Industry Panel Event “Industry Insights, Skills and DEI” scheduled for June 16, 2021, from 12 – 1:30 pm. If you haven’t already registered, you can register here.

Women+Power is pleased to announce our partnership with the CEATI Women in Power Group. The Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI) is a user-driven organization committed to providing technology solutions to its electrical utility participants, who are brought together to collaborate and act jointly to advance the industry through the sharing and developing of practical and applicable knowledge.

The Women in Power collaborative venture is a networking, mentorship, and peer-to-peer support group that spans across the entirety of the CEATI organization. It aims to promote engineering and other technical careers to women in the field, and to share common challenges and strategies for overcoming obstacles as women in a field populated predominantly by men. In order to achieve these goals, the CEATI Women in Power Group offers the following three initiatives: Face-to-face networking at industry-open CEATI events, Women in Power Webinar Series, and a Mentorship Triad Program that connects women at different points in their career. Please visit us at: CEATI – Women in Power Group.

“We are excited to collaborate with CEATI Women in Power Group as the organizations are so closely aligned. CEATI offers numerous technical training opportunities that we will share with our members and members are encouraged to join the Women in Power Group to take advantage of opportunities provided by them,” said Sharleen Gatcha, Founder and CEO of Women+Power.

Women+Power is pleased to announce a new financial sponsor, Burns & McDonnell! “This sponsorship brings us one step closer to being able to provide the programs, initiatives and resources women in the electricity industry need to thrive,” said Founder and CEO, Sharleen Gatcha.

For more than 75 years, Burns & McDonnell has provided engineering services throughout Canada and is currently expanding its engineer-procure-construct capabilities across the country. Utilizing an integrated design and construction mindset, their Canadian team has worked on dozens of generation, transmission and distribution, and manufacturing projects for a range of utility and industrial clients. By leveraging knowledge, technology, and commitment of ownership, Burns & McDonnell consistently delivers safe, innovative and quality projects.

At Burns & McDonnell, they embrace the way our differences enrich the way we see the world, our business and each other. They are proud of their culture of inclusion and deeply desire to harness the strength of our diversity. They promote, share and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace through various efforts, events and communication platforms. Every employee-owners unique story and perspective is valued regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or family background. Burns & McDonnell identifies, first and foremost, as fellow owners. Among their MacCulture Principles is “One Burns & McDonnell: We respect all, are accountable to all and trust in all.”

Burns & McDonnell is proud to be a sponsor of Women+Power. “As an active member in this community, we believe we can continue to jointly develop opportunities to promote increased diversity and inclusion in the Alberta power sector and beyond,” stated Darcy Wagner, Operations Manager.

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements about our sponsorship with Burns & McDonnell.

May 12, 2021

For this month’s installment of the EmPOWERment Hub, we bring you a short, but informative podcast: 6 essential lessons for women leaders.

This is a conversation with former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, and former Finance Minister of Nigeria, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, both of whom have faced sexism and gender bias in their roles as leaders on the world stage.

Packed into less than 10 minutes, you get very real advice from international trailblazers on the sexism in the halls of power and the dearth of female role models, particularly women of colour. They celebrate Kamala Harris, reference advice from Jacinda Ardern and Hillary Clinton, and emphasize that there is joy in leadership and putting values into action, but women need to go in with their eyes open.

In case you are a parent or caregiver and haven’t had 10 spare minutes since early March of 2020 (we hear you – it’s a podcast for a multi-tasking reason!), here are some key takeaways:

1. There is no right way to be a woman leader.
2. There will be sexism and stereotyping – be ready for it.
3. We need to debunk the gender stereotypes.
4. There are structural barriers to women rising in leadership positions – we need to support the systems that need change right now.
5. Don’t shy away from taking up space in the world.
6. Most importantly: “Go for it!”

If this topic and these women are drawing you in, good news: there is also a book.

Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala remind us that we need to work together to change the rules that keep us at the margins and that we need to be there for each other. These sentiments are particularly true in our current challenging and tragic times. The she-cession is very real, and we will need to lift each other up as we climb out of this.

Strong, compassionate female leadership should be welcomed, encouraged, appreciated, and celebrated right now.

#womenleadership #womenempowerment

Author: Vittoria Bellissimo, Women+Power Board Member & IPCAA Executive Director