Sad outcome of trip timing is missing the biggest event for an NGO near & dear for the past three years. Tonight at the Four Seasons a group gathers to celebrate parliamentary democracy. Every year the event grows significantly, presents inspiring speakers and recognizes outstanding public servants. Here’s my contribution to the programme about our silver anniversary theme:
The Twenty-Fifth Annual Churchill Society Dinner theme – Women in Politics – was selected to recognize the leadership of women in parliamentary democracy in Ontario and in Canada.
Our award winners, the Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell, and Keynote Speaker Celia Sandys represent the breadth and depth of women’s evolving role in the political realm. In Canada, women gradually won the right to vote and run for office, yet remain underrepresented federally and provincially. As Canada’s nineteenth and first female Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell’s Parliamentary career demonstrates that women have gained significant ground since 1921, which marked our first federal election with women voting and running as candidates. Following in the footsteps of Agnes Campbell MacPhail, the first woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1921, female politicians in Canada gain ground and seats with each election. This year’s federal election had 68 winning candidates (22%) that were women, which resulted in a record number and percentage of MPs in Parliament. Across the country, almost 81% of ridings had at least one woman on the ballot.
Although challenges remain for achieving parity - such as securing nominations, cultural expectations for familial responsibilities, Parliamentarians’ travel demands, and unbalanced media scrutiny of politicians’ appearance – the greatest challenge bridges the gender gap: re-establishing respect for the profession of public service.
The Churchill Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy is honoured to host a roster of impressive female Parliamentarians at our Silver Anniversary Dinner, and looks forward to recognizing politics as an important profession worthy of Canadians’ respect. Hopefully, once we demonstrate a greater appreciation for the dedicated citizens choosing to earn public office, regardless of gender, we will encourage the cultural shifts necessary to attract and retain a greater number of women in politics.
