Michelle Boileau will be the first mayor of Timmins to give birth while in office.
She and husband Andrew Morrish are expecting their second child this fall. The mayor has a historic perspective on being the first mayor to give birth.
“Of course, it’s significant because it is a first,” she remarks, “but really, women have been having babies for a long time (laugh). So really, I see this as just a woman doing what women do, having a baby while also holding down a job.”
Thirty-five-year-old Boileau’s daughter will be four next month. She was born while her mother was a sitting councillor, holding down another full-time job.
Councillors Cory Robin and Andrew Marks will fulfill the mayor’s duties during her leave.
. As a full-time mayor, she says it’s like any other workplace, she’s entitled to that time.
“Of course, the Municipal Act does limit the length of time that one can miss council meetings for” Boileau observes, “ but I know that I have a supportive council that should we require more time, if there are any health complications, that they’d be understanding of them.”
You can hear the full news conference announcing the mayor’s pregnancy in the audio link below.