What challenges do local women face? As International Women’s Day this Sunday draws near, six local women talked to The Squamish Chief about women’s issues, the potential for progress and the wisdom they want to share.
Patricia Heintzman
Gender bias, says Mayor Patricia Heintzman, is thankfully a lot less common these days, though she’s no stranger to it. Heintzman was once declined a business loan in the ’90s and believes it’s likely because she was a woman. She says she has been on boards where her suggestions were ignored, then later attributed to a male colleague who was congratulated on his “sage wisdom.”
“But it’s never stopped me from doing anything,” she says. “If my older brother could do it, I could do it better.”
To other women, Heintzman says: “There’s absolutely nothing you can’t do. If someone tells you can’t do something, prove them wrong.”
And never be afraid of asking for help, she adds. “But don’t ask because you don’t want to do it or you don’t know how to do it. Ask for help because you want to learn how to do it. Then learn how to do it better.”
Opportunities for women in Squamish, she explains, are far more diverse than they used to be. “The social fabric of our community is founded on the strength of women and the compassion of women,” she says.
When someone told her nine years ago that there was something special about her, that she was going to be a change leader, it was a formative moment. “If you can do that for a young girl or a young woman, then that’s really important, because sometimes those small moments make the difference.”
Bianca Peters
“This is the best time to be here,” Bianca Peters says about women in Squamish.
Peters, executive director of the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association, explains there are many businesswomen doing great work in Squamish.
“Before you want to re-create this community though, get to know who the community is first,” she cautions entrepreneurs. Volunteering, she says, is great for networking, meeting mentors and giving back.
“If you don’t give back to the community, the community isn’t going to give back to you,” she says. “Find a non-profit organization or, if there’s something you’re very passionate about, create your own... then take that network and build on it to create your business and support system that you need.”
True empowerment, she explains, is having choices. “I feel very blessed that I’m a woman living in Canada. I think we take that for granted,” says Peters, who is a mother and will soon give birth again. “You have to give back because there are women throughout the world who don’t have the opportunities we do.”
Her advice for local women is to get educated, stand up for yourself, be relevant, authentic and true to yourself. And to become involved – though not just with placards. “If you see an issue…instead of complaining about it, do something about it,” she says. “Because everyone, I can assure you, is here because we all love this place.”
Sandra Wood
One of the challenges Sandra Wood sees many local mothers facing is the pressure to do everything right. Wood, a retired teacher, is a mother and grandmother who speaks from experience.
“They put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect,” says Wood, who believes all the conflicting information makes life confusing.
She also sees mothers juggling many challenges. “I think a lot of women in our community are women who have worked and who would enjoy working and being a mother, but because it’s a small community, they can’t find work.”
They end up working part-time, she says, or doing lots of little things. “I think that’s hard for women. It’s exhausting raising children, period, but when you’re also splitting yourself a lot, it’s even harder.”
When she was growing up, it was expected that a woman would marry and stop working to raise a family while her husband cared for her. Wood, though, always worked and continued doing so while raising children as a single mom. In Squamish, single-parent families face the ever-increasing cost of rent and child care, she says.
Her wisdom for other women is: “Dream big! Put it out there... take risks, swallow fear and don’t settle.” Speak up, she says, and “Follow your talents, your passion and always trust your instincts.” And learn to meditate, she adds.
Csilla Kovacs
Csilla Kovacs is a working single parent who is juggling multiple priorities while trying to provide the best life for her daughter. It’s a real challenge, she says.
“Juggling work, searching for more work, household tasks, and having quality time available can become exhausting…. My daughter is the love of my life. I only want her to be happy, healthy, and given as much opportunity as any other child.”
However, she firmly believes that “if women have confidence and determination, they are capable of achieving anything” – but only if they don’t sabotage one another, she explains “Women could support one another so much more by being open-minded and non-judgmental.”
She says it’s important for women to seek out like-minded people and to create a supportive network to share thoughts, fears, feelings and struggles – in confidence.
Her wish for generations to come is: “To be more socially conscious of each other, accepting of people, and confident,” which she says would create a strong community and reduce bullying.
To other women, she says: “Know that true beauty resonates inside…. Do not let fear ever hold you back or keep you down.”
Believe in yourself and in your dreams, she says, and create your own path.
Karen Elliott
Women, Karen Elliott says, are the fabric of this city, and she hopes their collaboration will help shape Squamish’s future.
“The more we can come together and listen to what the challenges and opportunities are, the more we will be able to find creative ways to support each other,” says Elliott, a consultant, coach and district councillor.
“My generation was exposed to a new level of choice. When my mom went through school, career choices were quite limited for women still. There was that expectation that once you got married, your place was still very much in the home.”
Within one generation, suddenly anything was possible – however, doing it all at once isn’t without sacrifice, says Elliott, who is a mother of two. “So I think my generation is starting to make smarter choices and trying to teach our daughters about how you balance all those wonderful things.”
Though issues such as domestic violence and housing affordability affect women in Squamish, she explains there’s also a great deal of potential too. “I look at the depth and breadth of talent in the women here, and I’m extremely excited about what is possible.”
The wisdom she’d like to pass on is to live by your values. “They’ll rarely steer you wrong.” And she adds, “Be curious more than judgmental about the world… and never stop learning.”
Shannon Lorenz
“Squamish is an exciting place right now,” says Shannon Lorenz, who runs the Squamish Mothers in Business support group and is a mother of three. “There’s a ton of collaboration all around us. The talent here is beyond amazing.”
Squamish women, she says, are smart, motivated and healthy, and they want their town to succeed. But adds that a woman can’t do it alone, so mentorship and collaboration are key. “Find your team and learn. Connect, collaborate and inspire each other.”
Finding a balance, she says, can be a challenge, and there’s pressure to have it all. “When I re-entered the workforce after my first son was born, I mentally and physically could not do it.” Her energetic team worked long hours, but she wanted to be at home for dinner with her family and to put her son to bed. “I lasted six months in that role and then took the leap into becoming a consultant. Five years later, I have a ton of flexibility and have achieved what I define as the best work/life balance that I could ask for… though, I’m looking forward to eventually not working in the evenings.”
Her message for others is: “The world is what you make of it. Do what you love, do it with passion and you will live your best life.”
