23.06.23
Carmel Smyth has been declared winner of the national election to determine the next leader of CWA Canada.
She garnered 469 votes while 349 went to challenger Meredith Martin, in the contest to replace outgoing President Martin O’Hanlon.
Lois Kirkup, who was acclaimed, continues in the post of vice-president for another four-year term. She is a longtime member and president of the Ottawa Newspaper Guild.
Said a victorious Smyth: “As we know, the media industry faces many challenges, and we have to be vigilant about having our voices and lived experiences included in the conversation. I will work hard to deserve your support.”
Smyth and Kirkup will be sworn in at the CWA Convention July 10-12 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Matt Skube, Hayley Juhl and Nigel Sones form the National Elections Committee, which conducted the country-wide vote, with Locals choosing the method, either in-plant, electronic or mail-in ballot.
The committee reported that it received at least one vote from every Local across the country. Two Locals conducted their vote electronically, one did an on-site vote and the others used mail-in ballots, none of which was spoiled.
Smyth, a journalist with 25 years of experience in private and public broadcasting, was president of the Canadian Media Guild (Local 30213) for nine years.
Martin, a producer/journalist with 20 years of experience at Ontario’s public broadcaster, was recently elected president of the Canadian Media Guild’s TVO branch.
Kirkup and O’Hanlon were first elected to the two top positions in a national vote in 2011.
O’Hanlon has been in the leadership ranks since the union’s inception as TNG Canada/CWA in 1995.