By Allison Taylor
So much for women’s lib. It’s likely the House of Commons will be jam-packed with men after the Nov. 27 federal election.
Women are as qualified as anybody else to be MPs but in politics they aren’t measured by the same standards as male politicians and now we’re facing a shortage of female candidates.
It all started in 1921 when Agnes Macphail first entered the House of Commons. She was judged by her appearance, her social manners and her marital status. But did her choice of handbag have anything to do with her ability to be a politician?
It didn’t!
Sadly enough, this double standard hasn’t changed. Men are allowed to be strong and arrogant, while women are still expected to be submissive and humble, two characteristics that don’t correlate with public life.
For example, we know that Kim Campbell has blue eyes and Jane Stewart’s wardrobe was critiqued during the HRDC scandal. But ask anyone what colour of tie Joe Clark was wearing yesterday and you’ll likely draw blanks.
Female politicians face criticism rarely aimed at men and they’re subjected to more scrutiny than their male opponents. This is why the political lives of Canadian women still haven’t reached the same level as men.
Although women have made some advances over the last few decades, the political sphere remains a male-dominated blood sport, with several women on the periphery trying unsuccessfully to find ways to break the barriers, partly because of these double standards.
And the situation is getting worse. The numbers of qualified female candidates have been gradually decreasing over the last two elections.
According to Elections Canada, in 1993 there were 476 female candidates and in 1997 there were only 408.
This trend is leading the country into a downward spiral, and the threat is a serious one. Some of the parties even have female quotas to fill, and they can’t even satisfy those miniscule numbers.
The country is losing out on qualified female candidates because of this double standard. Don’t vote for a candidate just because of their gender, but I implore society to measure all candidates by the same standards.
I look forward to the day when we can elect a strong female politician dressed in pink and not find the country frenzied over the fact that she likes pastels. It really has nothing to do with her ability to govern.