Women Representation in Elected Politics in Canada
Canada, as a nation, falls short when it comes to women’s representation in federal politics. Currently, the women representation in the parliament is very low, with only 27% of the members being female. In addition, Canada is currently ranked 62nd in the world when women representation is compared. Countries like Nicaragua, Belarus, and Kazakhstan are currently ahead of Canada when comparisons of women representation are made. There is no political parity in Canada. Like in most countries, many political positions are occupied by men. However, this does not mean that Canadian women are not interested or unwilling to participate in politics. Women in Canada experience stubborn and long-standing barriers that create difficulties for them to engage and stay in politics. Some women who contemplated running for certain positions have reported that they are strongly impacted by the costs and benefits they expect from a candidacy. The following paper delineates the barriers to women’s representation in elected politics in Canada.
Barriers to Women Representation in Elected Politics in Canada
Violence against Women MPs in Canada
Over the years, several women in Canada have been subjected to violence, a factor that has hindered their active participation in politics. Even in the past, women such as Agnes Macphail encountered violence when they were elected. In 1921, Agnes Macphail was subjected to sexism and ridicule when she started her political journey in the Canadian House of Commons. Macphail was physically stopped entering the building. In addition, some women have encountered sexual harassment and assault from their male counterparts. For instance, Sheila Copps, a former MPP of Ontario, was sexually harassed and assaulted by various male politicians in the 1990s. Some women have also reported that sexual harassment threats have blocked them from staying in elected politics in Canada. Conservative MP Rempel Michelle has recently been a target of sexual harassment threats from some male politicians. Moreover, Rempel had to go court against a Twitter stalker threatening to rape her while she was in a campaign in Winnipeg.
Furthermore, a significant percentage of women in Canada who seek to acquire political power has been subjected to economic and psychological violence. Several women have reported that they have been subjected to violence simply because they are women. A survey involving female politicians in Canada was performed in the year 2018. The survey revealed that 58% of the women participating in politics in the country were targets of sexual misconduct. Besides, 68% of women encountered sexism threats. In addition, the survey revealed that young women, LGBTQ, and racial minorities are more likely to encounter that violence. In the 2019 elections held in Canada, a former female politician Celina Caesar decided not to seek re-election due to threats to her safety.
Social Media Abuse
Several women have experienced abuse via social media platforms during elections and even afterward. Some citizens, colleagues, and staff have been harassing women on social media on various occasions. Constituent harassment has been directed to several female Toronto city counselors. These sexual abuses and threats have been directed to women to discourage them from seeking candidature or holding certain positions in politics in Canada.
Parties are getting in the Way of Women.
Parties have also contributed to the low representation of women in politics in Canada. The quota system upheld by several parties in Canada prevents some women from being nominated and elected for political positions. Some parties are reluctant to recruit more women as candidates for certain political positions. Parties in Canada have the power to determine their candidates who, in most cases, are men. Lack of transparency and openness in recruitment and selection procedures and processes in political parties has contributed to low women representation in elected politics. The attitudes of the party selectors are believed to be a significant obstacle for women representation in elected politics. Many party selectors prefer to avoid risk and tend to identify conventional and safe candidates. Moreover, some women in the recent past have reported that they could have won elections if their parties had not prevented them from participating. Also, the shortage of women incumbents is a barrier to women’s representation in politics. This is because some parties retain the same Member of Parliament for several terms. As a result, such parties see no need for recruiting or training new candidates until the retained MPs step down or retire from politics.
Campaign Funding and Financial considerations
Generally, many women earn lower incomes when compared to men. Besides, there is a gender pay gap in Canada between men and women. Also, many women get lower-paying jobs in sectors such as hospitality, retail, and caring. As a result, a significant percentage of women in women lack the financial resources required for one to stand as a candidate or fund the campaigns. This means that many women miss out on politics due to the lack of private capital to fund their campaigns. Societal inequalities have also contributed to women lacking enough finances required to participate in politics. For instance, women in Canada have less likelihood of accessing family finances when compared to men. In addition, several women who serve as local councilors face financial hardship because some councils do not pay enough income to cover dependent care or child care. As a result, some female councilor, especially the ones with caring responsibilities, is forced to resign from their positions.
Lack of Role Models
Like many other countries, women in Canada lack enough role models who would have motivated them to participate in politics. Despite Canada having a female prime minister, it still falls short when it comes to female representation in politics. Only 27% of parliamentary members in Canada are women. As a result, many women are not attracted to politics. In addition, many women lack support from their families, spouses, and party officials when they contemplate vying for certain political positions. Also, women find it hard to break the cultures and networks in the political environment, which is mainly dominated by men.
Caring and Time Demands
Like in other countries, women in Canada also have caring and household responsibilities that limit their time to participate in politics. A significant percentage of women consider taking care of children as their primary role. Besides, women who engage in politics experience psychological challenges, which results in the dilemma of being a good parent and a successful politician at the same time. Also, the members of parliament in Canada spend a lot of time at work, a factor that creates a barrier to women since they need to be home early to attend to household responsibilities. Women in politics have reported that achieving work-life balance is hard, a factor that has resulted in some female politicians quitting politics after one term. Women in politics are more likely to experience time pressure when compared to men. The heavy workload experienced by MPs reduces the amount of time women spend with their families. Besides, co-location is also a barrier for women, especially for women who reside far from their offices. In addition, some women in Canada lack support networks to assist them with some responsibilities, especially single mothers. Evidence suggests that Canada has 1.64 million single parents showing how lack of support networks hinder women from participating in politics.
Moreover,
Male-Dominated World
The number of male politicians in parliament continues to outnumber women. The male-dominated environment creates a barrier to women participating in politics in various ways. The negative effect of the perceived masculine culture of the House of Commons reduced the retention rate of female politicians after serving one term. Moreover, elected female politicians in Canada have reported that they experience pressure to adapt to masculine expectations in order for them to prosper in politics. Also, several parties are reluctant to recruit women showing how the male-dominated world is hindering females from participating in politics.
Image Issues
The harassment and sexism claims directed to women have a negative influence on female representation in politics. In addition, the negative public image of political life servers as a barrier to women’s engagement in elected politics. Also, press and online intrusions, as well as expenses scandals, have a damaging effect on women’s representation in politics. A survey has revealed that women in politics are more likely to experience media scrutiny compared to their male counterparts. Also, the fear of abuse, violence, and harassment from the electorate is a barrier that hinders women from engaging in politics, especially due to public attention.
Aspiration and Confidence
A significant percentage of women have claimed that lack of confidence is an obstacle that prevents them from standing in office for various political positions. Also, insufficient self-belief is a personal attribute that has hindered several women from seeking parliamentary positions in the House of Commons. In addition, the language utilized in the House of Commons was confusing and resulted in some women claiming that the place was unsuitable for them. Moreover, some women lack aspiration claiming that the parliament is not for them. However, women in Canada have reported a lack of support, and sufficient training has contributed to their lack of confidence in politics. Also, children are raised to believe that women should not run for political offices since it an environment dominated by men. As a result, a significant percentage of women have grown up with the belief that politics is not suitable for them.
Counterarguments
Despite women facing barriers that prevent them from engaging in politics, several measures have adopted to increase participation. For instance, the House of Commons has implemented anti-harassment rules to protect women. The government of Canada implemented a code of conduct and a policy to try to address cases of assault and sexual harassment against female politicians in the country. The 2015 code allows women to launch formal complaints in case they experience abuse from politicians or the public. The anti-harassment also seeks to prevent violent acts of any form against female politicians. The policies aim to promote inclusivity at all political levels and the creation of an environment that is more welcoming of diversity.
Furthermore, agencies such as the City for All Women Initiative supports women from all communities in creating a more inclusive environment and promotion of gender equality. Besides, there are several mentoring and training programs that aim to encourage women to run for political positions. Besides, the mentoring programs equip women with confidence, skills, and knowledge that increase their capacity to participate in politics. Some political parties also conduct training of women to promote gender equality and increase women’s representation in the House of Commons.
Conclusion
There is low women representation in elected politics in Canada. Currently, the women representation in the parliament is very low, with only 27% of the members being female. Several barriers hinder women from participating in politics. Such barriers include violent acts against women. Over the years, several women have been subjected to sexual harassment, assault, abuse, and sexism. Sexual media abuse is another barrier that has prevented women from participating in politics. Some citizens, colleagues, and staff have been harassing women on social media on various occasions. In addition, lack of transparency in political parties, which often select men, has hindered women from standing as candidates for political positions. Besides, many women earn low incomes when compared to men, thus lacking the financial support to fund their campaigns. Women also lack enough role models to motivate them to participate in politics. Also, the caring and housing responsibilities that women limit their time to stand for political positions in Canada. The political environment is also dominated by men creating pressure on women. Some women also lack confidence and aspiration to engage in politics. However, the government has implemented policies to promote women’s participation in politics.