| Suffragette Spirit: Women in Canadian Politics |
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| Written by Sarah Stefanson | |||||||
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Why is having women in parliament so important? Learn about the women that are representing us in our government. In 1918, the women of Canada were officially allowed to vote. Ninety years later, it looks as if the outcome of 2008 federal election depends considerably on which party female voters decide to cast their ballots for. The Conservative and Liberal parties are battling over the female vote, with Stephen Harper trying to pull women in by showing his softer side in recent ads featuring the prime minister in a cozy sweater near a crackling fireplace. Traditionally, the Liberals have done better with women at the ballot box, but recent polls show the Tories are coming out ahead with both female and male voters. Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, has gained support among urban women who weren't impressed with how the boys' club of major party leaders tried to exclude her from the upcoming leaders' debate. So it seems as though the voices of women may have a major influence on this election. Beyond projecting a women-friendly image in campaign advertisements, how can party leaders truly speak to the woman voter? What are the issues that are at the forefront of female Canadians' minds? Experts say that women voters tend to more concerned with government policies related to social policy, education, health care, and childcare. A point of contention raised by the most recent Conservative attack ads refers to the $1,200 a year per child payments introduced by the Tories, a move that was thought to be extremely popular with suburban mothers. The Conservative ads claim that Stephane Dion's Liberal party will take away that payment, but Liberals have flat out denied the allegation, saying they will not only keep the $1,200 payment, but they will also add a new refundable tax credit of $350 per child and devote more funding to creating daycare resources. Meanwhile, Dion has been pushing his Green Shift environmental policy in an attempt to score voters, but as Jane Arscott, University of Athabasca professor and Still Counting co-author, said in an interview with The Canadian Press, "Women also are concerned about the environment, but when it comes to more money for groceries or the environment, I think they'll go for household income." The presence of Canadian peacekeepers in Afghanistan may also be an issue that will influence the female vote, since only 33 per cent of women believe Canada should be continuing a fighting role there, compared to 50 per cent of men. The very presence of women in power seems to have a positive effect on the success of a political party. Female voters will warm to a party that appoints women to key positions. The multi-partisan, non-profit organization, Equal Voice, has challenged federal leaders to nominate more female candidates, stating that, according to the United Nations, "a critical mass of at least 30% women is needed before legislatures produce public policy representing women's concerns and before political institutions begin to change the way they do business." The Liberal party responded with a commitment to nominate 33 per cent women candidates in the next federal election. Presently, they have already surpassed that goal by running 106 female candidates. Jack Layton and the NDP also answered the challenge to run more women candidates. The party can already boast having an affirmative action policy in place since 1992 and having the largest percentage of women elected to the House of Commons. While they applaud the progress being made, Equal Voice insists that more has to be done. Women make up 52 per cent of the Canadian population, but only 21 per cent of those elected to municipal councils, provincial legislatures and the House of Commons. Canada now ranks 47th on the Interparliamentary Union's list of women in parliament across the world. Even war torn and third world countries like Rwanda, Iraq, Afghanistan and Uganda have more women elected to government than Canada. Linda Trimble and Jane Arscott, authors of the book Still Counting, claim that women are kept below the 25 per cent mark in government due to an "electoral glass ceiling" created by sexism in legislatures and a revolving door attitude towards female political leaders. While women in politics have certainly come a long way since Agnes Macphail became the first woman to be elected to the House of Commons in 1921, there is still much ground to be covered if true gender parity is to be achieved in Canada. Profiles of First Women in Federal Government The Rt. Hon. Jeanne Sauve, P.C., C.C., C.M.M., C.D., D.H.L., D. Sc., LL.D., D.U.  Photo: Yousuf Karsh First woman Governor General First woman Speaker of the House of Commons First woman Member of Parliament from Quebec to be a Cabinet Minister Born in Prud'homme, Saskatchewan on April 26, 1922. Died in Montreal, Quebec on January 26, 1993. Political Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada Legislative Career: First elected to the House of Commons in the 1972 general election as MP for Ahuntsic, Quebec and later for Laval-des-Rapides, Quebec. Served until 1984. Click here for more information. The Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell  Photo: Kim Campbell and the National Archives of Canada Photographer Denise Grant First woman Prime Minister First woman Minister of Justice and Attorney General First woman Minister of National Defence First woman elected leader of Progressive Conservative Party Born in Port Alberni, B.C. on March 10, 1947. Political Affiliation: Social Credit (provincial); Progressive Conservative (federal) Legislative Career: First elected to the British Columbia legislature in the 1986 provincial election as member for Vancouver-Point Grey riding. Served until 1988. First elected to the House of Commons in the 1988 general election as member for Vancouver Centre. Served until 1993. Click here for more information. The Hon. Muriel McQueen Fergusson  Photo: National Archives of Canada First woman Speaker of the Senate Born in Shediac, New Brunswick on May 26, 1899. Died in Fredericton, New Brunswick on April 11, 1997. Political Affiliation: Liberal Legislative Career: Appointed to the Senate on May 19, 1953. Appointed Speaker of the Senate on December 14, 1972. Honours and Awards: Sworn to the Privy Council, November 7, 1974. Officer of the Order of Canada (1976). Click here for more information. The Rt. Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough  Photo: National Archives of Canada First woman Cabinet Minister Born in Hamilton, Ontario on January 28, 1905. Died in Hamilton, Ontario on November 13, 2004. Political Affiliation: Progressive Conservative Legislative Career: First elected to the House of Commons in May 15, 1950 by-election as member for Hamilton West. Served until 1963. Appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State, June 21, 1957 to May 11, 1958; Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, May 12, 1958 to August 8, 1962; Postmaster General, August 9, 1962 to April 22, 1963. Honours and Awards: Sworn to the Privy Council, June 21, 1957. Coronation Medal, 1953. Centennial Medal, 1967. Jubilee Medal, 1977. Officer of the Order of Canada, 1978. 125th Anniversary of Confederation Medal, 1992. Title 'The Right Honourable' bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, July 1, 1992. Companion of the Order of Canada, 1995. Click here for more information. Cairine Reay Mackay Wilson  Photo: National Archives of Canada First woman Senator First woman appointed Chair of a Senate Standing Committee First woman Member of Parliament Born in Montreal on February 4, 1885. Died in Ottawa on March 3, 1962. Political Affiliation: Liberal Legislative Career: Appointed to the Senate in 1930. Served until her death in 1962. Honours and Awards: Knight of the Legion of Honour (France), 1950. Click here for more information. Agnes Campbell Macphail  Photo: National Archives of Canada One of the first two women elected to Ontario Legislature Born in Proton Township, Grey County, Ontario on March 24, 1890. Died in Toronto on February 13, 1954. Political Affiliation: United Farmers of Ontario; Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (C.C.F.) Legislative Career: First elected to the House of Commons in the 1921 general election as member for Grey South East and then Grey Bruce. Served until 1940. First elected to the Ontario Legislative Assembly in 1943 provincial election for York East. Served from 1943 to 1945 and then 1948-1951. Click here for more information. The Hon. Sheila Maureen Copps  First woman Deputy Prime Minister Born in Hamilton, Ontario on November 27, 1952. Political Affiliation: Liberal Legislative Career: First elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1981 provincial election as member for Hamilton Centre riding. Served until July 10, 1984. First elected to the House of Commons in the 1984 general election as Member of Parliament for Hamilton East and continues to serve. Appointed to the Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister, November 4, 1993 to June 10, 1997; Minister of the Environment, November 4, 1993 to January 24, 1996; Minister of Canadian Heritage, January 25, 1996 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to the present. Honours and Awards: Sworn to the Privy Council, November 4, 1993. Click here for more information. The Hon. Andree Champagne  Photo: Andree Champagne First woman Deputy Speaker of the House Born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec on July 17, 1939. Political Affiliation: Progressive Conservative Legislative Career: First elected to the House of Commons in the 1984 general election as member for Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot. Served until 1993. Member of the Cabinet as Minister of State (Youth) September 17, 1984 to June 29, 1986; Assistant Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole House, September 29, 1986 to May 14, 1990; Deputy Speaker and Chair, Committee of the Whole House, May 15, 1990 to September 8, 1993. Honours and Awards: Sworn to the Privy Council, September 17, 1984; Appointed Commander, "l'Ordre de La Pleiade", 1991. Click here for more information. The Hon. Audrey McLaughlin  Photo: Canapress Photo Service First woman to serve as head of a federal political party in Canada Born in Dutton, Ontario on November 7, 1936. Political Affiliation: New Democratic Party (NDP) Legislative Career: First elected to the House of Commons in the July 20, 1987 by-election as Member of Parliament for Yukon. Served until 1997. Honours and Awards: Sworn to the Privy Council, January 10, 1991. Click here for more information. The Hon. Senator Joyce Fairbairn  First woman Leader of the Government in the Senate Born in Lethbridge, Alberta on November 6, 1939. Political Affiliation: Liberal Legislative Career: Appointed to the Senate for Lethbridge Alberta on June 29, 1984 and continues to serve. Appointed Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister with special responsibility for Literacy, November 4, 1993 - June 10, 1997. Appointed Special Advisor for Literacy to the Minister of Human Resources Development, September 5, 1997 Honours and Awards: Sworn to the Privy Council November 4, 1993 Click here for more information. Suzanne Tremblay  First woman appointed Official Opposition House Leader Born on January 24, 1937, in Montreal, Quebec. Political Affiliation: Bloc Quebecois Legislative Career: Elected to the House of Commons in the general elections of 1993 for the riding of Rimouski-Temiscouata. Re-elected in the general elections of 1997 for the riding of Rimouski-Mitis. Appointed Official Opposition Deputy House Leader on February 22, 1996; appointed Official Opposition House Leader for the House of Commons from March 1997 to June 1997. She has been the Official Opposition Deputy House Leader since June 1997. Honours and Awards: Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Pleiade (July 1999) Click here for more information. Comments (2)
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