(Photo: NB Green MLA Megan Mitton Facebook))
A New Brunswick Green MLA, who is pregnant, wants to see changes in the Legislative building for other expectant moms and women in general.
Megan Mitton wasn’t surprised to find how outdated policies were, “I’ve looked into some of these types of policies before and I already knew our legislature had some catching up to do, in terms of modernizing it, not just the infrastructure, but bringing some of the policies into this century.”
She says there are currently no changetables in the bathrooms, but that is something they have told her they can do.
“When I did talk to HR to find out what the plan is, I found out that there is none, so that is what I am working on right now, and there is a fairly long list,” Mitton says.
“There are a number of things that need to happen. Ensuring that new parents have some time off, ensuring that the babies have security clearance and are allowed on the floor of the house. Currently, they would be considered strangers on the floor of the house. I would like to bring my infant with me when necessary. One of my priorities is ensuring that my constituents are supported. This is a unique workplace, Most other people are able to have a maternity leave, parental leave and they have someone else replace them. I need some extra supports to ensure that my office can keep running.”
Breastfeeding is another thing Mitton says she will have to look into, “I’m not sure if there is anything that would prevent that, but I am planning to breastfeed, so that is something I have to look into. Ensuring there is somewhere to go, if an MLA wanted some privacy, ensuring that there are some quiet spaces in addition to being able to do that when needed.”
Another idea for future, would be a daycare option, “I guess, at a minimum, a space where a caregiver could go with the baby when I am in the legislature for example,” Mitton says.
“It’s hard to believe that it is 2021 and there is no plan in place for when MLAs have babies,” says Mitton. “To me, that exemplifies how much work we still have to do to make political spaces – spaces traditionally occupied by men – more welcoming to women and other genders.”
Mitton believes these outdated policies are deterring women from pursuing politics, “One of the main barriers they see is, how would we have a family? If we were to go a bit broader with the discussion, there are people who already have children and they feel the supports in place wouldn’t be enough.”
