The Liberals identified the women-MP shortage as an issue during the leadership campaign and former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan issued a "renewal" report on ways to fix the problem. Her conclusions echoed what dozens of other reports, in Canada and worldwide, have found: the obstacles are deep, systemic and cultural. Getting women through the nomination phase can be the toughest challenge.
When I saw this, my first thought was "Incredible." There are deep, systemic and cultural barriers to women's participation in political life...in Canada?!? Like what?!?
It can't be education levels, with women outnumbering men in enrolment in Universities.
It can't be that women are dependent on their male spouse's spending approval.
It certainly isn't that most Canadian-born women are kept cloistered at their father/brother/uncle/son/husband's whim.
So, what is it then?
Maybe these women have other priorities? Perhaps they might not want to participate? If they did, there is nothing stopping any of them. If you really want to talk about deep, systemic, cultural barriers toward participation in political life, what about these people?
If someone is not sufficiently motivated to put in the effort required to overcome challenges related to bringing people together, organizing a campaign, fund raising, and contesting a nomination, do they have any business in Parliament in the first place?
Is it just me, or isn't the assumption that a woman is incapable of doing these things on her own just a tad patronizing and sexist?
1 comment:
How much you want to bet he'll be putting these women in ridings they can't win?
I bet it's all for show.
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