  |
|||
|
|
|
||
|
Posted by Kate Butler Dec 10, 2006 |
On Friday evening, I was watching CTV News Net channel and saw something rather encouraging: three female politicians, from the three major English-Canada parties, were being interviewed by Jane Taber about a range of issues. Particularly heartening was the fact that the politicians were discussing the environment, foreign policy, and the economy. While all three women stuck to their party lines, the episode still deserves comment.
The fact that even in 2006, it is considered unusual to have three female politicians representing their parties is indicative of the make-up of the House of Commons, where there are 65 female MPs, and 308 seats. While all parties could improve the number of female politicians in their party, the Conservatives and Liberals are especially poor: 11% of the CPC and 25% of the LPC are female.
Although there are still far fewer women politicians, it is exciting to see them in increasingly important roles in their respective parties. During the session on Friday, Helena Guergis, Carolyn Bennett and Peggy Nash, discussed the issues of the week with a very acclaimed journalist, and all three appeared, for the most part, to be poised and knowledgeable.
While it is undoubtedly good for young Canadian women to have female role models, it is also very good publicity for the parties. By showcasing women politicians in shows such as the one on Friday night, they are able to say that they are giving females in their party a real voice. While it is more difficult to understand if women are indeed gaining more power within the traditional party structure, it is difficult not to applaud both the Canadian parties, and the mainstream media, for making an effort to make visible the work of female politicians in this country.