Women’s Day breakfast.
Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson is hosting an International Women’s Day breakfast on March 5 at 7 a.m. She is shown here with residents during her 2011 morning event.
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Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson is hosting a breakfast networking event to celebrate women in the community on March 5, to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Ann Max, a local motivational speaker and president of Productive to the Max, will speak at the morning event.
“This is a chance to get together in a relaxed format,” said Wilkinson. “Women sometimes don’t have many opportunities to network together in the community.”
Max was recommended for the keynote spot after one of Wilkinson’s staff heard her speak.
“(She) encourages people to improve themselves and be motivated … that’s what she does in her job,” said Wilkinson, adding Max lets others “see what their potential is.”
The networking portion of the event allows women to meet others in the community.
“A lot of community people do a lot of work in the city,” said Wilkinson. “These are the kinds of people I want others to know they’re around here.”
Local artists and authors will also be at the event.
“Every individual has an individual story,” said Wilkinson. “Everyone contributes something.”
The breakfast will begin at 7 a.m. at the Mlacak Centre. With limited seating available, registration is required by emailing kanatanorth@ottawa.ca or by calling 613-580-2474.
‘A LOT OF CHANGES’
Wilkinson has served more than 24 years in municipal politics and was the first woman elected in the Kanata area. Among her positions, Wilkinson was the reeve of March township from 1976 to 1978, mayor of Kanata from 1978 to 1985 and has been councillor of Kanata North from 2006 to the present.
“In my lifetime, I’ve seen a lot of changes for women,” said Wilkinson. “There’s still a way to go but I’ve seen a big change … women are better treated.”
One example is mothers can now receive a year of maternity leave. When Wilkinson had her children, she received no compensation.
“There are so many things that have happened; we’ve made huge changes here in Canada, but think about the rest of the world too,” she said, adding Women’s Day is also “a way to support women around the world who are still struggling.”