Ryan MacDonald Dr. Bickerton Psci 222 March 7th 2024.
The Underwhelming Rise of Women in Canadian Politics: An Essay On The Extreme Lack of Women in The Canadian Political Scene.
It's been just over a century since the Canadian government allowed women to formally join the political scene by granting them the right to vote. Since then, there have been massive political victories securing more legal and political rights for women. There have also been drastic spikes in female participation in politics, both in voting and participating in the electoral process. Not all aspects of the political landscape have seen an equal rise in women’s involvement, however. The lack of representation of women in positions of power is quite …show more content…
A major deterrent is the cost of running a thorough campaign. The key problem with the cost is the fact that the median income that women take in is close to two-thirds of the male median, leading to there being a disproportionate amount of men who have the financial stability to run for office. Thomas. This pay disparity is due, in part, to the fact that historically, the higher-paying jobs in our country were men's jobs, while the lower-paying jobs went to women. This socioeconomic issue calls back to the previous social issues discussed, saying that women are looked down upon in positions of power therefore leading to men being favoured for higher-paying jobs. This wage-related reality is causing financial issues for the females who are affected by it, which subsequently traps these women and makes it more difficult for them to ascend to higher jobs, such as holding political office. These economic issues stem from the same traditional gender roles that have been prevalent throughout the paper. The cost of a large-scale campaign when running for provincial or federal office is immense and it requires taking time off from the candidate's previous job. This social economic factor also hinders the ability of women to run for office, as on average, women do not have the same …show more content…
This paved the way for Canada to rank below many smaller and less developed countries in the percentage of seats in parliament occupied by women. The lack of female representation in the Canadian political landscape is a direct result of both societal and socioeconomic deterrents. When women have to continue to fight problematic gender stereotypes which affect their earning potential, society’s traditional views regarding the role of women in raising children and managing a household, and the lack of support in a party’s willingness to fund a campaign or place a female in an ‘important’ riding, it becomes clear to see why there is a distressing lack of female engagement and participation in the Canadian political forum. When women are missing from politics and holding positions in parliament, it means their voices are absent when women’s issues are discussed in government and when legislation is being created in our nation. This absence of a female voice only perpetuates the issues women are already facing and reinforces the feeling of detachment from political power. As Michelle Bachelet so concisely stated, “For me, a better democracy is a democracy where women do not only have the right to vote and to elect but to be elected.” This is a very important
The Underwhelming Rise of Women in Canadian Politics: An Essay On The Extreme Lack of Women in The Canadian Political Scene.
It's been just over a century since the Canadian government allowed women to formally join the political scene by granting them the right to vote. Since then, there have been massive political victories securing more legal and political rights for women. There have also been drastic spikes in female participation in politics, both in voting and participating in the electoral process. Not all aspects of the political landscape have seen an equal rise in women’s involvement, however. The lack of representation of women in positions of power is quite …show more content…
A major deterrent is the cost of running a thorough campaign. The key problem with the cost is the fact that the median income that women take in is close to two-thirds of the male median, leading to there being a disproportionate amount of men who have the financial stability to run for office. Thomas. This pay disparity is due, in part, to the fact that historically, the higher-paying jobs in our country were men's jobs, while the lower-paying jobs went to women. This socioeconomic issue calls back to the previous social issues discussed, saying that women are looked down upon in positions of power therefore leading to men being favoured for higher-paying jobs. This wage-related reality is causing financial issues for the females who are affected by it, which subsequently traps these women and makes it more difficult for them to ascend to higher jobs, such as holding political office. These economic issues stem from the same traditional gender roles that have been prevalent throughout the paper. The cost of a large-scale campaign when running for provincial or federal office is immense and it requires taking time off from the candidate's previous job. This social economic factor also hinders the ability of women to run for office, as on average, women do not have the same …show more content…
This paved the way for Canada to rank below many smaller and less developed countries in the percentage of seats in parliament occupied by women. The lack of female representation in the Canadian political landscape is a direct result of both societal and socioeconomic deterrents. When women have to continue to fight problematic gender stereotypes which affect their earning potential, society’s traditional views regarding the role of women in raising children and managing a household, and the lack of support in a party’s willingness to fund a campaign or place a female in an ‘important’ riding, it becomes clear to see why there is a distressing lack of female engagement and participation in the Canadian political forum. When women are missing from politics and holding positions in parliament, it means their voices are absent when women’s issues are discussed in government and when legislation is being created in our nation. This absence of a female voice only perpetuates the issues women are already facing and reinforces the feeling of detachment from political power. As Michelle Bachelet so concisely stated, “For me, a better democracy is a democracy where women do not only have the right to vote and to elect but to be elected.” This is a very important