On this day in 1987, Edmonton's future mayor called for more women to enter provincial and federal politics.
Jan Reimer's family was no stranger to politics — her father, Neil Reimer, was a labour activist and the leader of Alberta's New Democratic Party for the first six years of its existence. She studied sociology and political science at the University of Alberta. After that, she spent a few years of working in Australia, Southeast Asia, and India, and then returned to Edmonton.
Reimer was 28 in 1980 when she first ran for city council. Recruited as part of a slate of progressive candidates, she joined the Urban Renewal Group Edmonton (URGE). She won and joined council as an alderman. Reimer later advocated, unsuccessfully, for the title to be changed to councillor. The change occurred after her push.
After nine years as an alderman, in 1989 Reimer ran for mayor. Her platform focused on social development and environmental initiatives. During the campaign, Reimer took the unusual step of releasing a list of her largest financial backers. That and her platform seemed to connect with voters, as Reimer won the election in a landslide over mayoral incumbent Terry Cavanagh.
The win made Reimer Edmonton's first (and still only) woman mayor. The election also marked the first time women made up a majority of Edmonton's city council.
Her time as mayor saw deep divisions on council, but her two terms left a lasting impact on the city. One of the biggest changes was an overhaul of the city's waste management system, including the establishment of curbside recycling and eco stations. Reimer also drove efforts to improve the water quality of the North Saskatchewan River, preserve the river valley, and expand the trail system. As an alderman, Reimer was often at odds with others on council for her support of the city's queer community. In 1990, she became the first Edmonton mayor to officially take part in the city's Pride Parade.
In 1995, her attempt at a third term came at a difficult time for Edmonton, with slumping oil prices and provincial belt-tightening putting the city under strain. Reimer narrowly lost to Bill Smith. While the loss marked the end of her career in elected politics, Reimer has remained active as a social advocate, especially in social development and the prevention of family violence, including her time as the executive director of the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters. In 2002, she received a Golden Jubilee Medal for her public service, and in 2006, she was awarded the Governor General's Award.
Remier's influential political career began as part of a slate of candidates, a scenario that she said gave her the financial and moral support to run for a council position. Slates have not been a major part of Edmonton's elections since the 1980s, but changes created by the United Conservative Party government for Edmonton and Calgary will see parties return.
This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist Rev Recluse of Vintage Edmonton.