Connecting for Action: Gender-Based Violence
and Leadership in Nova Scotia
Be the Peace Institute, Violence & Harassment in Politics Working Group, Nancy’s Chair & Alexa McDonough Institute - MSVU, PEI Coalition for Women’s Leadership
May 26 - 27, 2026 | Mount Saint Vincent University
In partnership with the Nancy’s Chair in Women’s Studies at MSVU, the Alexa McDonough Institute, Be the Peace Institute & the Violence & Harassment in Politics Working Group, and the PEI Coalition for Women’s Leadership hosted a two-day conference on GBV in leadership across political, academic and advocacy spaces.
Some of the topics we explored across the research and lived experiences connected to:
🔹 Harassment and violence in politics and leadership positions faced by women and gender-diverse leaders in academia and advocacy
🔹 Legislatures and council spaces as workplaces-- safety and systemic barriers
🔹Online abuse and the rise of misogynistic tech facilitated GBV
🔹The importance of mentorship, allyship, and community support
🔹How critical representation of diverse candidates and voices is to our democratic process
🔹 And the importance of mentorship, allyship, and community support
Check out:
🔹 some media coverage from the event,
🔹 the full program of events (below),
🔹 photos from the two days, and
🔹 stay tuned for more takeaways and strategies for action!
Planning Team: (L to R) Alicia Guo, Diana Younes, Tracey Raney, Stacey Godsoe, Sue Bookchin, Tegan Zimmerman, Mary Rita Holland (Missing from photo: Leah Nicholson, Aliyyah Fazil)
Full Program of Events
Click on image to view full program
Claudia Chender, Leader of the Official Opposition
Art installation on loan from Amanda Rhodenizer
Stacey Godsoe, Leah Nicholson, Aliyyah Fazil - co-leads of the Violence & Harassment in Politics Working Group
Mary Rita Holland, Nancy’s Chair & Emcee
Alicia Guo introduces Dr Tracey Raney and Parmida Khanchi of Toronto Metropolitan University
Sue Bookchin and Megan Carbray facilitate a World Café
Participants working on their “Shapes of Power”
Dr Dayna Lee Bagley - Women in Leadership
The VHIP Working Group sharing a clip of Joanne Hussey from a recorded panel.
Cameron Smith sharing about Waves of Change
Senator Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard - Transformational Change & Human Rights
El Jones moderating a panel on Creating Safety for Equity Deserving Leaders - Mica Daurie, Heidi Marshall, Jess West, Joanne Bernard, Suzy Hansen
Dr Alexa Dodge, Dr Suzie Dunn, Dr Gabrielle Bardall speaking about the impacts and recommendations around Tech-Facilitated GBV
MLA Becky Druhan at the Youth Networking Event
Keri Kruse & Hannah Bell of PEI Coalition for Women’s Leadership at the Youth Networking event
Diana Younes gives context to the shapes of power art session
MLA Susan LeBlanc at the Youth Networking Event
Alicia Guo representing Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia
Aliyyah Fazil of Second Story Women’s Centre at the Youth Networking event
Our creation!