Waterloo Regional Labour Council elects first woman president

The Waterloo Regional Labour Council has announced its newly elected president. 

Former Kitchener-Conestoga NDP candidate Kelly Dick will serve as the president of the council. This is the first time in over 20 years that the council has had a contested election. 

“When you talk about the president of anything, whether it be a riding association or some kind of a group whether it be a board member or whatever, when you ask people if they want to be the president, most people will sit on their hands,” Kelly said on Kitchener Today with Brian Bourke on 570 NEWS. 

Kelly is the first female president of the labour council. There were only two females running, with Kelly beating out challenger Vicki Poirier. 

Kelly says that female leadership can often lead to different results. 

“It's really a group effort when it comes to women and I think that comes from us being caregivers and in the home, keeping the home together. We really like to have cooperation all the way through.”

When asked about criticism labour unions face in terms of their relevance, Kelly says they are often required to inform people of what is really happening. She says the new Ford government is one of the biggest obstacles they have come up against.

“I think that we need to be a little bit more boisterous in the things that we do, take a bigger stand on some of the things that we do,” she said on Kitchener Today. “I think that there is definitely room for us to move and grow. I think we've gotten comfortable and there's not room for comfort anymore.”

The Waterloo Regional Labour Council now has four women out of its ten total members on the executive branch. She laughed when discussing with Brian Bourke her optimism of what they will hopefully be able to achieve together.

“We know as a community, especially as women, the more women you have in a group to get things done, its been my experience that I think it will get done quicker, but that's my opinion!”