Women make up slightly above 50 per cent of Canada’s population, yet we are still far from equal political representation.
Historically, there were no women’s washrooms near the House of Commons. Originally, political spaces were never imagined as rooms where women would be welcome. And while women have made great strides in the political landscape today, the gap in women in politics remains.
Sarah Elder, owner of Madame Premier and podcast host of The Briefing Note, has an extensive political background, having worked as a research officer and assistant to various municipal ministers. She knows firsthand the lack of representation of women in political discussions as someone who has been, at times, the only woman in the room.
Elder explains that fundraising for a campaign is one of the biggest barriers to elected positions in politics. Beyond funding, professional background and the perception of unpaid work act as barriers, too.
“If there are two people in front of you, and you ask them both, ‘What do you do?’ One of them says, I’m an accountant at an oil and gas company,’ and the other says, I’m a stay-at-home mom,’ and they both want to run for office. Who do you think people would naturally turn towards as being thought of as a more qualified candidate?” asks Elder. It’s the standard to dismiss women who have taken a career break to take on domestic responsibilities without ever acknowledging the possibility that she may have extensive political expertise.
The Glass Cliff
An additional phenomenon that affects women, and one we are currently seeing in today’s Canadian political landscape, is the Glass Cliff. The Glass Cliff happens when a woman is put in a leadership position at a time of crisis or uncertainty where failure can be imminent. Following Trudeau’s resignation, three women have entered the race to become the next Liberal Party leader.
“They would inherit the crisis, turmoil and everything that Justin Trudeau is leaving in his legacy and his departure from politics, coupled with the precariousness of being in a minority government and, almost immediately after, going into a federal election, where the outcome of that election and the future of the Federal Liberal Party is really uncertain,” explains Elder.
The issue is not that women can lead in difficult times; it’s what happens after the circumstances cause her not to succeed. Also, it’s worth asking ourselves why women are called on in times of crisis and ultimately set up to fail.
“We want women to lead and be political leaders in a good time, not just a bad time, when their chances of failure are high, because who comes up after them in the vacuum of leadership? Typically, a man.”
Elder explains that when a woman fails in the eyes of the public, it’s easy to look past the circumstances she took on and only see a lack of qualifications or skill. Plus, it sets up an unfair, yet common, argument to say that a man in power has always worked before; therefore, we should return to it, albeit once the woman has cleaned up the mess.
Participating for change
Before 1918, women did not have the right to vote, and even then, it was exclusionary for certain women. “Women had to fight for the right to vote and to be considered persons under the law in Canada,” says Elder.
Today, some overlook the fight for that right; only 68.5 per cent of women voted in the general 2019 election. At just over 50 per cent of Canada’s population, women make up the majority, and in a numbers game, there’s a lot of power in the majority.
“There is a huge diversity of thought and political belief within that percentage, which is absolutely fundamental to healthy democracy,” says Elder. “What we also have in there is a huge opportunity, as women, to shift policy.”
If women rallied together, no matter their political stance, and became more involved in politics — whether through elected roles, voting involvement or advocating for more participation — the impact would be significant.
With more women at the table, policy-making includes more voices and creates effective change in policies that affect everyone. “All of a sudden, the conversation changes when you have possibly even just one person at the table who has a different lived experience,” says Elder.
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