McKinley Richards, a Fernie Secondary school graduate, will represent the Kootenay-Columbia in Parliament with the Daughters of the Vote program.

338 dynamic young women, one from each federal riding, have been selected to represent their community and communicate their vision for Canada during the Daughters of the Vote 2019 program, taking place April 1st through 4th.

As a fourth-year student in International Economics and Development with a Minor in Management, McKinley Richards is passionate about global quality education, social entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment. Throughout her time at the University of Ottawa, McKinley has taken advantage of numerous opportunities to get involved, expand her knowledge, and pursue these interests in both Canada and abroad. She has traveled to Senegal to conduct research on access to education for young girls, and lived in Paris, France, for a semester exchange at Sciences Po. For the past three years McKinley has also been actively involved in many student-run volunteer organizations. For example, through her various leadership roles on Enactus uOttawa, McKinley has helped develop, launch, and expand innovative social enterprises. McKinley has worked as a Page in the House of Commons, and as a CO-OP student for FINTRAC, Global Affairs Canada, and Cuso International, where she now continues to work as an external consultant.

Equal Voice invited young women, ages 18 to 23, from across the country to apply to be one of 338 dynamic and diverse delegates in a once-in-a-lifetime political leadership program.

All delegates will attend a national event in Ottawa and take their respective MP’s seat in Parliament during a historic sitting of the House of Commons in April 2019. They will be addressed by every federal party leader, and engage with an array of Ministers, critics and advocates. Following the Ottawa event, all delegates will be eligible for a leadership grant to accelerate advocacy efforts in their local communities.

Equal Voice’s objective for our Daughters of the Vote program is to ensure that 338 emerging young women leaders, among others, become familiar with Canada’s political institutions and those women and men serving in them – so that they are equipped and inspired to participate in the formal political sphere and take action in their local communities in the years and decades to come.

Best of luck McKinley, we are proud of you!