She Leads Economic Council to offer advice to governments

A non-partisan group that encourages women from all parties to get into politics has formed an economic council to advise governments.

The She Leads Economic Council includes severalwomen business leaders.

Janice Mackinnon, a former finance minister in Saskatchewan, is a co-chair of the group.

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"This is what you should be doing to get the economy growing better, to get the budget in better shape," she said. "And they feel, and I feel very strongly, they have a lot of sound, good advice to offer."

Rona Ambrose, the former interim leader of the federal Conservative partyis also a co-chair.

Mackinnon says the group hasasked to speak to a number of politicians, including Alberta PremierRachel Notley, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

But Mackinnon says the economic council won't make the advice they are giving public.

"We'll be sitting down with them, behind closed doors, and these women will be speaking very frankly about what they think the government should be doing in fiscal and economic policies," she said. "And we won't be taking common positions, they will speak for themselves."

Mackinnon says the council is comprised of women business leaders representing companies that have created more than 185,000 jobs.

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