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 乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒� when the force first welcomed female officers on board 乌鸦传媒� as 乌鸦传媒渢he demise of the RCMP.乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檚 report identified several systemic barriers that women face in succeeding in the RCMP. It also identified issues with a 乌鸦传媒榝undamentally unfair and flawed乌鸦传媒� promotion system, which prevented women from moving up the ladder. Even those who were promoted felt they were put into 乌鸦传媒榮oft乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒榣ady cop乌鸦传媒� in town. There, she helped approach crimes involving sexual violence through a different lens. Before, the RCMP乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檚 life have been men in the RCMP, who retired with many years of experience 乌鸦传媒� men who would have been considered part of the 乌鸦传媒榦ld boys club乌鸦传媒� 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

乌鸦传媒淚 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 乌鸦传媒� you have everything we need to be on the team, but we乌鸦传媒檝e never let a woman on there before; therefore, you won乌鸦传媒檛 get through the recruiting process.乌鸦传媒�

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乌鸦传媒檛 matter.

乌鸦传媒淚 was told flat-out by the person who was the team leader on that team 乌鸦传媒� a female has never been on the emergency response team before, and you乌鸦传媒檙e not going to be the first. We乌鸦传媒檙e not ready for it.乌鸦传媒�

Since then, not much has changed. It乌鸦传媒檚 18 years later, and Triance could count on one hand the number of women who have made it onto that team.

乌鸦传媒淗as it impacted me as a police officer? I乌鸦传媒檓 the chief of police for the fourth largest police station in Canada, so I would argue it hasn乌鸦传媒檛. It hasn乌鸦传媒檛 impacted my successes in that regard, but I乌鸦传媒檓 not immune to the fact it (gender) is a massive barrier to a lot of people乌鸦传媒檚 successes, and I am very committed to changing that.乌鸦传媒�

Hope for the future

Although now there are more women in the force, Triance isn乌鸦传媒檛 satisfied yet. Out of approximately 125 tactical team members in the RCMP乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檛 happen overnight. She said it乌鸦传媒檚 important women are not pushed through the ranks quickly.

乌鸦传媒淚f we don乌鸦传媒檛 choose the right people to be in the positions of decision making and authority乌鸦传媒� then we乌鸦传媒檙e doing a disservice to everyone.乌鸦传媒�

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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