focus on women as candidates

November 1

Today I attended (as a listener) a session held for women who had run (or are running) in the fall elections in Brantford, Brant and Six Nations. At this session candidates reflected on their experiences as candidates and exchanged ideas about how to do things better next time. Some were questionning whether the 'sisterhood' really exists, as a comment was made that women voters are often harder on women candidates.

I sat at the edge of the main group, at a table with well known politicos, Lloyd St Amand and Mark LaFerierre - both candidates for the next federal election in Brant. The meeting was sponsored by WIL Power, a group within the local Liberal Association working on encouraging more participation by women as candidates for public office.

Some decades ago Canada's supreme court ruled that women are 'persons' under the constitution, paving the way for women to be appointed to the Senate. It seems strange today to realize that before that ruling, this was even a question. While it is useful to identify the unique circumstances and challenges that women face as candidates for public office, in the final analysis, that long ago legal ruling ensures that voters making the choice today concentrate on picking the best 'person' for the job. While it is true that women are under-represenetd on municipal councils, legislatures and in parliament, there are other elements of our population that are also under represented - e.g. visible minorities, certain ethnic goups and nationalities, and age brackets. They too face special challenges in running for public office.