Empowering all professionals to reach higher: Mayor Bevilacqua

March 5, 2019 4:00 p.m.
Vaughan Council unanimously endorses Leadership Accord on Gender Diversity

 

The City of Vaughan is the first municipality in Canada to endorse the Leadership Accord on Gender Diversity, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said today during a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, where Council unanimously endorsed the Mayor’s Member’s Resolution to adopt the Accord. Mayor Bevilacqua will formally sign the Accord on International Women’s Day (IWD) – Friday, March 8 – during the City-led IWD event at City Hall.

Developed by Electricity Human Resources Canada, the Accord is a public commitment by organizations to promote the values of diversity, equality and inclusion. Mayor Bevilacqua added that “As a member of its Board of Directors this opportunity was first brought to my attention at Alectra Utilities.” Alectra is the largest municipally-owned electricity utility in Canada and was the first company in Canada to sign the Accord. The City of Vaughan is one of the largest shareholders of Alectra.
 
The values set out in the Accord present an important opportunity to guide the City’s efforts throughout the 2018 to 2022 Term of Council and beyond. Of note, the Accord sets out a series of guiding principles on policy and governance, education and workplace readiness, and recruitment and retention practices.
 
Vaughan will join communities around the world to mark IWD 2019. The City’s annual event will feature a keynote address by Commander Kelly Williamson with the Canadian Armed Forces. Cmdr. Williamson will share her first-hand experiences as a female in an important and high-ranking position with the military. Cmdr. Williamson was recently named to the Top 100 list of Canada’s most powerful women. The event will be emceed by Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) Chief Deryn Rizzi and will feature a guest speech by the City’s Integrity Commissioner and Lobbyist Registrar, Suzanne Craig.
 
QUOTE

“Fairness and equality inspire the work we do here in the City of Vaughan and we will continue to foster an environment where all people can realize and pursue their aspirations. This is especially important for female professionals who make up nearly half of the Canadian workforce. At the City of Vaughan, there are remarkable women shaping our future each day. They include distinguished public servants who serve on Council, along with committed professionals in our administration – but we can always do more. We all have a responsibility to empower every individual to reach their full potential. The Leadership Accord on Gender Diversity is an opportunity for us to build on our success and I want to recognize my Council colleagues for unanimously endorsing this meaningful initiative.”
-        Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
 
QUICK FACTS
 
  • International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 every year.
 
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