In this edition of Women in Business, females were interviewed who are employed in typically male-dominated industries or in a position that was historically filled by a man.

These women share their stories of being underrepresented in their field and leadership roles 香蕉视频直播� in the hope that their perseverance and success become the guiding light for the next generation of women in business, so they continue to break glass ceilings and meet their goals.

Women in Business shows who the movers and the shakers are in Kelowna and that there is always a space to share stories of successful women.

In her early years as an RCMP constable, Kara Triance worked alongside a male officer who referred to 1974 香蕉视频直播� when the force first welcomed female officers on board 香蕉视频直播� as 香蕉视频直播渢he demise of the RCMP.香蕉视频直播� Since then, she has sought to extinguish this mentality.

Now Superintendent of the Kelowna RCMP, one of her many goals as a decision-maker is to break down gender barriers and welcome more women into the force. Although her experience as a female in 21 years with the force has been positive, she is not immune to the fact women face challenges in the role.

In 2019, a report by The Honourable Michel Bastarache broke down more than 3,000 claims filed, alluding to harassment and gender-based discrimination within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Thousands of women were compensated.

Bastarache香蕉视频直播檚 report identified several systemic barriers that women face in succeeding in the RCMP. It also identified issues with a 香蕉视频直播榝undamentally unfair and flawed香蕉视频直播� promotion system, which prevented women from moving up the ladder. Even those who were promoted felt they were put into 香蕉视频直播榮oft香蕉视频直播� positions and not given the same respect.

Triance is one of the few female superintendents in Canada, but she is no stranger to being alone.

Women approach policing with unique lens

Earlier in her career, 15 years ago, she was posted in Bella Bella as the second-ever female officer at that detachment. She became known as 香蕉视频直播榣ady cop香蕉视频直播� in town. There, she helped approach crimes involving sexual violence through a different lens. Before, the RCMP香蕉视频直播檚 approach was victim-based, whereas her approach empowered survivors.

While there, she met a woman who was raised in a remote Indigenous community. This woman has since become a police officer. Triance believes she exposed to her the possibilities for women in the force.

Many of the key mentors in Triance香蕉视频直播檚 life have been men in the RCMP, who retired with many years of experience 香蕉视频直播� men who would have been considered part of the 香蕉视频直播榦ld boys club香蕉视频直播� in policing.

In fact, these men helped Triance break through the glass ceiling - an invisible barrier of growth within the organization. This ceiling has affected her ability, in the past, to get onto specialized teams.

Triance hits the glass ceiling

香蕉视频直播淚 was interested in the emergency response team, and I was training at the time to pass the emergency response team test. And I was specifically told by the team leaders 香蕉视频直播� you have everything we need to be on the team, but we香蕉视频直播檝e never let a woman on there before; therefore, you won香蕉视频直播檛 get through the recruiting process.香蕉视频直播�

It was 2003, and Triance had worked tremendously hard to meet the benchmark and pass the test. She passed the tough physical exam; however, this didn香蕉视频直播檛 matter.

香蕉视频直播淚 was told flat-out by the person who was the team leader on that team 香蕉视频直播� a female has never been on the emergency response team before, and you香蕉视频直播檙e not going to be the first. We香蕉视频直播檙e not ready for it.香蕉视频直播�

Since then, not much has changed. It香蕉视频直播檚 18 years later, and Triance could count on one hand the number of women who have made it onto that team.

香蕉视频直播淗as it impacted me as a police officer? I香蕉视频直播檓 the chief of police for the fourth largest police station in Canada, so I would argue it hasn香蕉视频直播檛. It hasn香蕉视频直播檛 impacted my successes in that regard, but I香蕉视频直播檓 not immune to the fact it (gender) is a massive barrier to a lot of people香蕉视频直播檚 successes, and I am very committed to changing that.香蕉视频直播�

Hope for the future

Although now there are more women in the force, Triance isn香蕉视频直播檛 satisfied yet. Out of approximately 125 tactical team members in the RCMP香蕉视频直播檚 Southeast District, less than 15 per cent are female.

However, as much as she would like to see the force comprised of 50 per cent men, 50 per cent women, Triance knows this won香蕉视频直播檛 happen overnight. She said it香蕉视频直播檚 important women are not pushed through the ranks quickly.

香蕉视频直播淚f we don香蕉视频直播檛 choose the right people to be in the positions of decision making and authority香蕉视频直播� then we香蕉视频直播檙e doing a disservice to everyone.香蕉视频直播�

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com

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