Over the first weekend of February, I had the pleasure of attending the Queen’s Female Leadership In Politics 2022: Evolve conference. This was my second year attending the conference, and like my previous QFLIP experience, the conference absolutely outdid itself. After a weekend of networking, workshops and hearing from so many incredible female leaders, I left feeling recharged, empowered, and confident about myself and my aspirations. With a focus on female leadership in politics, this conference spotlighted MPs and MPPS as well as other key figures within government and the private sector who are paving the way for political evolution.
The restraints of the pandemic actually led to certain freedoms when it came to the conference. QFLIP: Evolve took place virtually, allowing students from high schools and universities all over the country to engage in the conference. The conference was held over Hopin, which allowed delegates to flip between the keynote, networking, and panel discussions with ease. Personally, as I work part-time, the virtual model allowed me to attend as much as possible over the weekend while allowing me to slip out unnoticed to tend to these commitments. The conference also bridged the connection gap that comes with holding it virtually by using Facebook to connect delegates before the conference began and the rest of their socials to post updates as the conference progressed. Being able to connect with other delegates before the conference and follow social media updates was like a “warm welcome”, and fuelled excitement for what I knew would be an awe-inspiring weekend. The dedication of the student leaders behind the conference shone through as they worked through the peculiarities of holding a conference virtually with ease.
The weekend was packed with conversation from and between some of Canada’s most accomplished and inspiring women. The most standout part of the conference for me was keynote speaker Samra Zafar, who spoke to delegates on Sunday afternoon about having courage, pursuing your goals, and loving yourself. Author of the best-selling book, “A Good Wife”, Samra offered wisdom based on her personal experiences as a child bride brought to Canada from India- a life which she had to manage and eventually flee in pursuit of her dream: education. She shared a quote from Mark Twain that stuck with me: “The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why”. This quote really encourages me to pursue my passions relentlessly, and, as Samra reminded me, to do with all the love, intuition, and encouragement I can give myself.
A second highlight was a workshop on “Advancing your Advocacy Vision”. While I never thought I would work in policy or advocacy, I have come to realize that policy underlies everything we do and the spaces in which we interact, and only changes because of advocacy for change. The workshop was designed to help us navigate government relations in order to make connections, and ultimately, make the changes we want to see. Representatives from Global Public Affairs Canada provided delegates with the tools to draft concise goals, and showed us how to reach relevant contacts within different government jurisdictions. As somebody who can easily feel discouraged when it comes to having my voice heard and fighting for tangible change, this workshop made doing so seem much more achievable.
A final highlight from the conference was getting to engage with and ask questions to some of the most prominent female leaders in Canada and getting to see behind the wall of politics the media conveys. Between the panels, conversations, and fireside chats that occurred over the weekend, delegates got to hear first-hand accounts of life as a politician, as well as see the back-side of political decision-making, both good and bad. I was particularly engaged in the conversation with Elizabeth May, former Green Party leader. She reflected on her own experience and provided a comparative analysis of Canadian politics by connecting it with politics in the USA and New Zealand, to name a few. When it comes to the present system of Canadian politics, one of May’s points particularly stuck out to me: “without representation and collaboration, we lose common sense [in politics]”. As I think about both my present and my future, this is a reminder to contribute to democracy: to share my opinions, to listen intently to what others have to say and to act as a team as much as possible.
Attending the annual QFLIP conference has become something I do for myself each year as an act of self-care and self-growth. And, every year, it proves just that, engaging, pushing and inspiring me. Coming out of the QFLIP conference, I’m confident that I can do anything and that my voice deserves to be heard. I was reminded that there is tremendous value in listening and learning, in taking notes from the generation that is paving the way for me in the fields of work I hope to someday pursue. Above all, I was reminded to trust the process of my own evolution and the woman I will evolve to be through each of my experiences.
Overall, you don’t have to have your hopes set on being an elected politician to attend QFLIP- regardless, the conference provides an incredible opportunity for inspiration, connection and female empowerment each year that is worth saving the date for. It is always a pleasure to attend this conference, and there’s no doubt I’ll be counting down the days until QFLIP 2023.
For more information, to get involved with QFLIP, and to read about their other initiatives, check out their website.