International Women’s Day: Six Nations women in elected politics didn’t take root until the 1960’s

By Lynda Powless Editor As we mark International Women’s Day Turtle Island News is taking a look at the history of women elected to the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) since its imposition in 1924. Six Nations has been a community hit by political turmoil since 1924 when the federal government imposed the elected system in Indigenous communities country-wide. The band councils would serve one year terms until 1951 when two year terms came. But it would be another 38 years, not til 1962, before women would become involved in the male dominated system. While they were elected, they also still reflected the times running under the title of Mrs, reflecting their marital status, as opposed to just their given first name. The first women elected in 1962 were in District…

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