Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/988313
Heritage Matters 13 recognition around childcare, maternity leave and the ability of fathers to stay at home. Some of the cultural things have to be broken down in society: That if a man stays at home, he's no less a man because he is the one that's bringing the child to the daycare. As society keeps changing, we also need more understanding around the issue of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and people who identify in varying ways. We need to be able to accept that our society is multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic and multireligious and we have to respect the views of each and every one. BH: What challenges have you faced taking on leadership roles and how did you confront them? JA: Very early in Canadian society, I recognized that, as a woman of colour (because, again, I talk about intersectionality where my race, my colour, my immigrant status, all of those things come together), I recognized very early that if I had to make way in the society, I had to be as good as, and better than, many others. "As good as" meant getting the necessary qualifications. It's getting my Teachers College, getting my Bachelor of Arts degree, getting my Master of Education degree, getting all of the necessary pieces of paper one needed to move oneself forward so that by the time I put myself forward, I have more than the requirement. BH: What would you say to someone who was interested in running for office? JA: I'm part of a group that's working on getting more young women into politics. I started with a group called Samara, then Equal Voice, and now we have a group in the African Canadian community and it is really to say to young women, especially, to go for it. We have to affirm each other. My life has not been perfect. I've fallen on my behind many times. I think it was Jesse Jackson who said: It's not the falling down, but it's the picking yourself up and continuing to go. Because when I came to Toronto, I started with domestic work – I usually say it like this: I came from Happy Hill to Parliament Hill. So, I know that sometimes people need a hand up. People need to have someone who can say: Get up, let's go, I'll help. I think it's important to give the message: Go for it. As Chair of the National Liberal Women's Caucus, Jean Augustine championed legislation to erect the Famous Five statue on Parliament Hill.