Every person has it in them to be a leader and it’s important to see ourselves in the leaders around us. That’s why we need women in leadership roles.
Lynn Napier
Mayor of Fort Smith
When Lynn Napier was first elected to the Town Council of Fort Smith, she was the only female serving on the council. Despite the gender disparity, Lynn found the experience worthwhile as it gave her the knowledge and skills to become a more effective politician. She gained a better understanding of the actual issues and what kind of work needs to be done to solve them.
Despite never really planning to become the Mayor of her hometown, she was encouraged to give it a shot after talking with other women and receiving their support and encouragement. Lynn then decided to take the next step to pursue this goal and was elected Mayor of Fort Smith in 2015. She was re-elected as Mayor in 2018.
Lynn also ran for president of the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and was on the board for the Federation of Municipalities. There she met with other organizations across Canada to bring their concerns to the federal government, advocating for thousands of communities across Canada.