:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Good afternoon. We are very happy to be appearing before this committee to provide information on the general context of women's participation in political activities as part of your study on barriers facing women in politics in Canada. Statistics Canada does not produce data specifically on candidate recruitment and selection processes, professional networks and inequalities in terms of professional development opportunities or support to women in politics in Canada.
However, we do have data from the general social survey that illustrate Canadians social behaviours in political activities. Today, we are presenting a gender-based analysis that will look at the representation of women in parliamentary and government positions, their participation in civic and political organizations, as well as their opinions on politics. The majority of the data we are presenting today come from the 2013 general social survey on social identity.
[English]
We know that women are under-represented in senior government, legislative, and parliamentary positions in Canada. In this country, women represent 46% of senior government managers and officials, 35% of legislators, and 27% of persons holding seats in national Parliament. However, they do represent 50% of cabinet ministers.
The proportion of women working as senior government managers and officials is consistent with the labour market representation of women, where women overall are still under-represented. In 2015 women represented 48% of the labour force. It should be noted, however, that women's labour market participation is increasing and that women comprised 37% of the labour force in 1976.
To provide more context around the labour force participation of women, we see for women who work that they work on average 5.6 hours per week less than men, and that currently 19% of employed women work part-time, compared to 6% of employed men. The presence and age of the youngest child in the household has a notable effect on the work hours of women but very little effect on those of men. The average weekly work hours of mothers ranged from 34 for those with a child under the age of six, to 36 for those with a child aged 18 to 24. Women who did not have a child under the age of 25 worked the greater numbers of hours per week, with an average of 36.4.
Now that we've provided some context about the labour force participation of women, let's next look at their membership in political parties and organizations.
Women are still less likely than men to be members of a political party or to volunteer for a political party, but instead take on membership in school, neighbourhood, and community groups. Women represented 43% of members of a political party in 2013. About 530 women and 700 men were members of a party that year. This translates to 5% of men being members of a political party in 2013, compared to 4% of women. When broken down by age, it is those in the older age groups of 65 and over who are likely to be members, at 7%, and those in younger age groups of 15 to 54 who are the least likely, at 3%.
Our data show that 320 men, or 2.2% of all men, volunteered for a political party in 2013, compared to 240 women, or 1.6%. Membership in service clubs shows a very similar pattern to membership in political parties, with 7% of men having been members of a service club in 2013, compared to 6% of women. Note, too, that membership in a political party or political group association tends to be much less popular than other types of clubs or organizations.
For example, while 4% of Canadians are members of a political party or a group association, closer to 30% of Canadians are members of sports or recreational organizations, or cultural, educational, or hobby organizations, according to the 2013 general social survey on social identity. Women showed more interest than men in joining a school group, neighbourhood, civic or community association, at 20% versus 15%.
Next, let us look at the different ways in which men and women participate in certain political activities.
While 17% of men reported having attended a public meeting in the past 12 months, only 13% of women did so. Similarly, a higher proportion of men expressed their views on a political or social issue by contacting a newspaper or politician or by expressing views though the Internet.
On the other hand, women are as likely as men to sign a petition and are more likely to boycott or choose a product for ethical reasons.
Other types of political activities, such as participating in a demonstration or a march, wearing badges and T-shirts, displaying lawn signs in support of or in opposition to a political or social cause, or signing a petition on the Internet also showed no difference between the behaviour of men and women.
Could participation in political groups be related to interest in politics? Compared with men, it appears that women may be less interested in politics. Although 24% of men reported being very interested in politics in 2013, only 15% of women said they were. On the other end of the scale, more women than men said they were not very interested, 25% versus 19% of men.
When it comes to voting, women are equally likely as men to vote in federal elections, and they are more likely than men to vote at the provincial or municipal levels. When women do not vote in federal elections, they give slightly different reasons from those given by men for not doing so. Most notably in 2013, 13% of women said they did not vote because they were not informed on issues, compared with 7% of men. Women are also less likely than men to search for information on political issues.
Participation in political activities is positively associated with education and income group. More educated women and men, and women and men with higher incomes, are more likely to have positions in government and to undertake civic and political activities.
[Translation]
In closing, when we look at community engagement and political activity through a gender-based analysis, we see differences in the political participation of women and men, where women are less likely than men to be members of a political party.
Women participate in their community in other ways. For example, they are more likely than men to join school groups, neighbourhood associations, citizens' organizations and community groups. Although women are less likely than men to attend public meetings or express their opinion openly, they sign petitions and participate in other political activities just as often as men. In general, however, fewer women say that they are interested in political issues.
Data for the next cycle of the general social survey on social identity will be collected in 2020. That will enable us to examine changes over time in attitudes and behaviours relative to political participation.
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to present our data in your study. My colleagues, Anna Kemeny and Jennifer Kaddatz, and I will gladly answer your questions.
:
Let's now look at the statistical data.
As my colleague Ms. Harder said earlier, you cannot comment on the figures subjectively. I respect that, and I definitely don't want to put you in an awkward position.
However, when I look at all the figures, there isn't a lot of difference between men and women, with the exception of women who are “very interested” or “not at all interested”. When it comes to expressing views through a newspaper or a politician, the percentage of women is 9% and that of men is 11%. So that is not a significant difference.
I understand that, statistically speaking, if we are talking about 12% and 16%, there is a difference of four points, which is one-third. So it is 33% more. We are after all talking about 12% to 16%. That's my very personal and subjective understanding. In any case, I am paid to be subjective and you're not. I know that.
Have you done any similar analyses on trades, regardless which, where similar figures are found in terms of engagement?
:
Thank you so much, Karen. Don't worry. I learned my lesson.
[Translation]
I want to come back to the issue I discussed with you earlier.
Of course, a lot of focus is being placed on the number of women running for office. In fact, 50% of candidates can be women without any of them getting elected. We cannot presume how people will vote. Another possibility would be 100% of women being elected and the House of Commons being made up of only women, even though half the candidates were women. A lot of focus is being placed on that, but there is an element that is outside our control. However, it is possible to control it in other fields.
The reason I asked you the question is the following. Politicians are in positions of authority. They're also public figures. According to surveys, people don't like politicians in general, but they love their politician. That is what we are seeing in our ridings. People like us, but they do not like politicians in general. They like us individually. They prefer the tree to the forest.
I would like to establish a parallel with people who are working in the medical field, such as doctors. They are also public figures. They are recognized and are in positions of authority. They make highly consequential decisions.
Does the medical field have the same proportion? Have you carried out surveys to find out what the abilities of people who want to work in the medical field are, as you have done for the political world?
:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I missed the last Status of Women FEWO appearance, so I'm happy to be with you today as you undertake to study barriers facing women in politics.
Recently we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first women in Canada winning the right to vote in federal elections. As we acknowledge this achievement in our country's history, we remain mindful of the work remaining and so welcome this study.
[Translation]
The advancement of women's participation in democracy is essential to achieving gender equality and ensuring a better future for us all.
[English]
Introducing a gender-balanced federal cabinet in 2015 marked an important milestone for Canada; however, women still only represent 27% of members of Parliament. The Inter-Parliamentary Union ranks Canada 61st out of 190 countries on the proportion of women elected to Parliament. In comparison, women make up 19% of House representatives in the U.S., 39% in France, and 44% in Sweden.
[Translation]
These numbers point to continued barriers to women's equal participation in democracy, indicating ongoing systemic discrimination and persistent unconscious bias.
[English]
Barriers that prevent women from political participation are many, and they include societal perceptions of appropriate career paths for women, a lack of support from party leadership, a lack of role models, sexual harassment and violence, disproportionate responsibility for caregiving, and a fear of negative attacks and media attention based on gender norms. These barriers impede the development of a pipeline capable of carrying talented and committed women into political life in Canada.
Some women face additional barriers as a result of diverse identity factors, which particularly affects the democratic participation of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and youth.
Indigenous women in particular can face great barriers to leadership positions. In 2015, only three of the 88 women elected to Parliament were indigenous. In first nations communities, women represented only 17.2% of band chiefs.
[Translation]
Addressing the many different barriers to our democratic participation requires the commitment of many different stakeholders.
[English]
Fostering women's leadership skills needs to start at the grassroots. It requires harnessing the power of networks and mentors to ensure women have the necessary tools and support to make it through the pipeline. For this reason, Status of Women Canada, through its women's program, supports projects that strengthen the participation of women in democracy and enhance their chances of success in the pipeline.
Among these is support for women's empowerment with over $13.5 million in funding for 25 projects to promote and enhance the participation of women in civic and political life by addressing systemic barriers. Of this, $5 million went to projects to strengthen the voice of indigenous women in their communities. Another is funding to advance gender equality, with $18 million for approximately 50 projects that engage some 150 women leaders from across the country working to advance gender equality locally and as part of a pan-Canadian network.
These investments allow us to support the work of organizations like Equal Voice, whose Daughters of the Vote initiative brought 338 young women leaders, representing each federal riding, to Ottawa to communicate their vision for Canada in 2017.
The government is also looking at ways to address structural barriers to women in politics. It announced in budget 2018 that it supports the measures recommended by the procedure and House affairs committee to make the House of Commons more family friendly, which my colleagues will address.
[Translation]
Real change for women in politics cannot happen without a commitment from political parties to look at their candidate recruitment and selection processes were sexism and implicit bias play out.
[English]
Research by Dr. Melanee Thomas at the University of Calgary shows that when parties are recruiting in ridings they know they can win, they prefer to place male candidates. Women are more likely to be chosen as nominees in areas considered strongholds for other parties, decreasing their likelihood of winning and the number of elected women overall. Political parties could look to the steps taken by the Government of Canada to integrate gender-based analysis plus into all decision-making, and to address biases in internal appointment processes.
As a result of the introduction of an open, transparent, and merit-based approach to selecting Governor in Council appointments in 2015, the appointment of women has increased by 10%, and is now at 44% for GIC appointments.
[Translation]
Even with opportunities and structural changes, harassment remains one of the most significant barriers to women in politics.
A 2016 study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union reveals that sexism, harassment and violence against women MPs are global problems that impede gender equality and undermine the foundations of democracy.
[English]
IPU's study, based on interviews with women MPs from 39 countries, reports that more than 80% of survey participants have experienced some form of psychological violence, including threats of death, rape, beatings, or abduction, during their parliamentary terms, as well as threats to their children. Social media is the main channel where psychological violence is perpetrated.
Sexist insults are equally frequent, with nearly two-thirds of respondents reporting this. Sexual harassment is described as common practice, and condescension a daily occurrence. Levels of physical violence are also significant, with 20% reporting they had been slapped, pushed, struck, or targeted by an object that could have injured them.
[Translation]
These findings are not unlike those of a December 2017 survey of female MPs in Canada. The government is moving to address this situation, having introduced Bill to ensure that federally regulated workplaces, including Parliament, are free from sexual harassment and violence.
[English]
Budget 2018 has also indicated $34.5 million starting in 2018-19, and $7.4 million per year ongoing, to support implementation of Bill .
As can be seen, achieving equality for women in politics requires the participation of a wide range of actors working toward long-term solutions. Encouragingly, this scenario is playing out in many jurisdictions across the globe. In the U.K., MPs across party lines have formed the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Parliament, to improve the recruitment and retention of women in politics. Diverse countries, such as Mexico, Rwanda, and Spain, have seen success with quotas, requiring that a certain proportion of women candidates fielded by a political party be women.
Going forward, this study will be invaluable to all of us for understanding the barriers to democratic participation that women face in Canada, and for searching out meaningful solutions. Status of Women Canada is looking forward to hearing the testimonies of stakeholders and experts in this area. We also await the recommendations of this committee to promote the institutional and cultural changes that will make our democracy more inclusive of women, in all our diversity.
:
Madam Chair, I'd like to start my opening remarks by thanking the chair and the committee for inviting us to come before you today on the important topic of barriers facing women in politics in Canada.
My name is Riri Shen. I'm the director of operations for the democratic institutions secretariat at the Privy Council Office. I'm here today with Selena Beattie, director of operations, cabinet affairs, legislation and House planning, and Joshua Bath, an analyst at democratic institutions.
[Translation]
I would like to focus my remarks today on the current state of representation of women in Canada's democratic institutions, including in the Senate, and outline some of the recent actions brought forth by the government to increase accessibility to our democratic institutions. I will focus my remarks on the federal level.
As I am sure this committee is aware, the 2015 election set new records for women's participation and in terms of the number of women elected to the House of Commons. Roughly 30% of candidates in the 2015 election identified as women, and 26% of members elected to the House were women. Following a number of by-elections, which have occurred since the 42nd general election, the proportion of women in the House has risen to 27.1%.
While these are historic highs in terms of women's representation in the House of Commons, the fact remains that women's representation continues to sit at rates far below parity and at rates below those in a number of like-minded democracies.
[English]
Academic research has identified a number of barriers to the participation of women in Canadian federal politics. In terms of Canada's electoral system, academics have noted barriers ranging from access to funds and financing to networking, as well as internal party policies, such as nomination contests, lack of party support to women candidates, and placing women candidates in unwinnable ridings. Additionally, academics have found that factors outside of our electoral system play a role in women's representation, including but not limited to the tone in the House of Commons, family-friendly policies for members, the harassment of women representatives online, family commitments, and other broad social phenomena. Increasing women's participation and representation is a complex issue. With that said, the government is continuing to take action to remove or alleviate some of the barriers women face when running for office.
[Translation]
The government announced in Budget 2018, tabled on February 27, that it is supportive of, and will work with Parliament on, the recommendations put forward in the report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs entitled “Support for Members of Parliament With Young Children”.
This includes working with Parliamentarians to ensure that the House of Commons is flexible, compassionate and reasonable in making accommodations for members with needs for young children that are related to their parliamentary functions—which we would be happy to detail further if you have questions.
The government has also followed through on its commitment to amend the Parliament of Canada Act to provide for the creation of maternity and parental leave for parliamentarians. That amendment is part of Bill , the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1.
[English]
Bill , the elections modernization act, which was introduced by the on April 30, 2018, proposes a number of updates to the Canada Elections Act that are aimed at making our electoral system more accessible to Canadians.
I wish to highlight provisions contained in Bill which are meant to reduce barriers to candidates in the treatment of regulated expenses to increase equity and accessibility in seeking election.
The bill would amend the Canada Elections Act to indicate that candidates may opt to pay expenses related to child care, to a candidate's own disability, or to the provision of care of a dependant's disability out of their personal funds in addition to campaign funds. This means that candidates would not be disadvantaged by requiring such expenses to count toward their expense limits during an election.
[Translation]
I would add that these expenses would be eligible for reimbursement following an election at an increased level of 90% rather than the current reimbursement rate of 60%. While these amendments would benefit both women and men, evidence suggests this would be more likely to benefit women candidates. In ensuring that women and men, in all their diversity, are able to participate in our elections, Bill would additionally make numerous amendments to reduce barriers to participation by persons with disabilities.
[English]
These include increased support and assistance at polls for persons with disabilities, increased accommodation to participate in the political debate, and broadening the application of existing provisions in the act so they do not apply only to individuals with physical disabilities.
:
I will take that, but I will also welcome my colleagues to jump in.
There's an incredible number of different roles.
Bill , which addressed harassment in a variety of workplaces, is one of the most important measures.
As I mentioned, that Inter-Parliamentary Union study identified harassment as one of the major barriers to women entering politics. I have had the opportunity a couple of times to be part of a panel run by them at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and the tales were truly harrowing, I would say, in terms of levels of both emotional and physical harassment of female politicians.
Certainly, Bill will help in that space, but also the work that Status of Women does to address gender and equality generally, speaking about gender-based violence. The work we have under that program would also help in that space.
As I mentioned, the women's program funds a lot of work in the leadership space, so Nancy Gardiner will jump in on that.
:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you for being here.
Partisan questions sometimes come up.
Ms. Shen, I had a strong reaction to what you said regarding services for members with young children. I have a little girl who will be four years old. So she was born during my first term as member of Parliament. We formed a group of four members and fought for at least a family room to breastfeed and for all Parliament washrooms—both women's and men's—to be equipped with a changing table. It took a long time, but we have finally managed to get it done.
That said, there are still barriers that make things difficult for women with young children. The parliamentary daycare gives priority to members' children, but it does not accept children under the age of 18 months. In addition, we don't have access to it if we do not pay for five days of daycare per week. However, those of us who do not live in the Ottawa-Gatineau region are often here only three days a week.
Christine Moore and I have created a nanny service. It is pretty nice to be able to have our child in the House of Commons. That is quite tolerated in the case of children under the age of two, but this was not the case when we had our children in 2014 or 2015.
Something else made me react in Bill , An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act, which talks about the “treatment of candidates' expenses”. This is an improvement, but it is still stated that those are expenses for the care of a person with an incapacity or a dependent. I cannot believe that, in the reimbursement of expenses, having a child is considered a handicap for the mother or father who would like to run for office.
In short, progress has been made, and I hope things will continue to move in that direction. I may have misunderstood, but I also hope the notion of handicap could be changed.
The two witness panels—especially the Status of Women Canada representatives—talked a lot about initiatives taken for the advancement of women. Can you tell us a bit more about unconscious biases? Is relevant training planned on the Hill? You have mostly talked about the situation within the federal government. People talk about intellectual self-defence. Could intellectual self-defence courses be provided for women?
Women have been consulted through programs aimed at encouraging them to run for office. They said they did not know how to respond to degrading comments, both by women and by men. When they hear those kinds of comments, they freeze up and don't know how to respond. That has happened in committee. It is also because we are young women—at least I am. We have not received training or information on that, and I think that is a failure.
Another issue is that the media do not show female models. That is a problem because people are under the impression that no women are interested in politics, but some are, although there is still a long way to go. Is any funding set aside for interviews with women in politics to show that it is done, that it is positive, enjoyable and useful?
:
I think that three questions were asked. I will first answer the one about the measures to make Parliament more family-friendly. Then I will ask my colleagues from the Office of the Coordinator, Status of Women, to answer the question about expenses.
Very early in its mandate, the government established a priority to make parliamentarians' family lives easier. The Leader of the Government in the House asked your colleagues from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to consider the issue. They produced a report last fall that focused on five important themes. The first two themes were related to the travel points system.
In that respect, they suggested, first, that flexibility be shown towards members with more than two children under the age of two and that members be told that, in this case, another adult could accompany the children.
The second recommendation related to the travel points system was to look into the possibility of allowing members to have a child travelling with them without that counting against their points. In that respect, the Board of Internal Economy only looked at the issue on May 24. Its members adopted a few amendments that, I believe, have been shared with all members. In fact, the minutes are available on Parliament's website. The amendments they made, unless I am mistaken, were that no points would be deducted for children under the age of six and that members with more than one child aged between six and 20 would have additional points to ensure that the points would be provided for the children's travel.
The third theme covered by the committee focused on maternity and parental leave. As you know, right now, members do not have access to maternity or parental leave. However, the Parliament of Canada Act requires that, for each day of missed meetings beyond 21 days, a penalty be applied and members be unable to pay into employment insurance. So the board recommended that this be changed.
The government introduced an amendment to Bill , the Budget Implementation Act, No.1 which is currently being considered by parliamentarians. That amendment aims to allow Parliament to create a regime for maternity and parental leave. That would enable the House of Commons and the Senate to establish that kind of a regime. Of course, it will be up to parliamentarians to decide what specific measures will be involved.
:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to thank our witnesses for joining us today.
I have the honour to represent the constituents of Vimy, in Laval. In addition, I am the lone Laval MP.
I ran for office twice before I won. At the same time, I was raising my triplets and studying full time at the university to earn two degrees. So I am a woman who tried twice to get elected, and I was elected in 2015. I did not give up.
I would like to ask you questions about women's participation in politics. Could you tell us about the barriers women face, aside from the fact that they are sometimes not appointed in ridings where victory is pretty much guaranteed. Can you explain to us the difference between the rural context and the urban context?
Another part of my question concerns women who are members of minority groups, of special groups. Are there more obstacles for those women related to political life than for men?
My question is for the representatives of the Office of the Coordinator, Status of Women.
:
Thank you for the question.
[Translation]
I will answer in English, if that's okay with you.
[English]
Barriers that prevent women from becoming involved in politics include, among others—and I referred to some of this in my opening remarks—societal perceptions of appropriate career paths for women, a lack of support from party leadership, and fear of negative attacks and media attention based on gender norms. Stereotype perceptions or unconscious bias about leadership roles can impact the way female politicians are viewed and feel about themselves in terms of confidence.
For instance, a male politician may be described as competitive and tough, but a female politician with the same qualities may be viewed as cold and aggressive. Catalyst is a non-profit organization which found that women leaders who work in traditionally masculine occupations have their leadership skills judged more harshly than their male counterparts do. While a man in a leadership role can be considered both competent and likeable, a competent woman in the same role is rarely considered likeable. Other harmful perceptions include the idea that women are too soft to be in politics and that women are not natural leaders.
There is research. The Catalyst research does talk about how female politicians of colour experience the most hostility. That gets to the second part of your question.
We talked a bit about sexism, but it plays out in party recruitment as I talked about in the research of Dr. Melanee Thomas at the University of Calgary. We've already discussed that a bit.
Then there's the media with its often unbalanced treatment of women in politics, which reinforces politics as a male arena and something that men should do. In a review of 2,500 articles spanning 37 years, University of Alberta political scientist Dr. Linda Trimble found that women who ran for leadership of major political parties faced disproportionate scrutiny of their bodies, appearance, and adherence to traditional gender roles such as their marital status, compared with their male counterparts. Not surprisingly, women report being reluctant to go into politics because of how the media, including social media, will treat them, and they report security and safety concerns.
As I talked about earlier, female politicians are often targets of sexual harassment and misconduct and heckling. A December 2017 survey of female MPs by the Canadian Press found that 58% said they had personally been the target of one or more forms of sexual misconduct while in office, and of the 22 MPs who had experienced sexual misconduct, 15 said the misconduct was committed by another MP.
That just speaks to some of the barriers that you were asking about.
:
Thank you so much, Madam Chair.
[Translation]
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Parliament of Canada.
I had the privilege of serving in Quebec's National Assembly and I have now been in the House of Commons for 10 years. I have had the opportunity and great privilege of serving with first-rate people, both men and women. I remember Ms. Sylvie Roy, who was my first leader in the legislature and who passed away two years ago, unfortunately. I also think of Ms. Agnès Maltais. She was an staunch member of the PQ, whereas I was a very proud member of the ADQ. We had some absolutely scathing political debates, but with the utmost respect. I also remember Ms. Michelle Courchesne, the first female member opposite that I rubbed shoulders with. She was the minister of education while I was the education critic. We always worked positively for Quebec's future while I was there, despite our political differences and being members of the opposite sex.
I was also fortunate to serve in Quebec's national assembly under a government led by a woman, Ms. Pauline Marois. I often said that Ms. Marois and I agreed on two things: that the sun rose in the east and set in the west. Otherwise, we had different opinions on just about everything. Ms. Marois was nonetheless a strong presence in Quebec's political life, and therefore in Canadian politics, for over 30 years. She held all the important political positions in Quebec. When she retired, former premier Jean Charest said, roughly translated:
Perhaps a man will do the same thing one day, but I doubt it.
Since I have been in the House of Commons, I have been fortunate to meet first-rate people, of all political stripes. There is Ms. Harder, who I am getting to know, and Ms. Vecchio, of course. And Ms. Ambrose also, who was my first House leader here. She did an outstanding job and served her country as party leader and as minister.
Looking back in time, we must not forget Ms. Flora MacDonald, the first woman to serve as minister of foreign affairs. It was an extremely difficult time. It was 1979 and there was a minority government. She was sworn in 39 years ago yesterday. Ms. MacDonald played a prominent international role at a time when Canada was going through one of its worst political crises. She had to deal with six American hostages who were hiding in the Canadian embassy in Iran, where there was a civil war. With Ms. MacDonald's leadership and the support of the Right Honourable Joe Clark, the prime minister of the day, Canadian diplomacy had one of its brightest moments in our country's history.
All these people that I have had the pleasure of working with were, without exception, elected in the current political system. In our system, people who run for office either win or are defeated. First, they have to be chosen by their political party. In some cases, they are appointed by the party leader, while in others they are chosen by its members.
My question is very simple. In a political system such as ours, how can we achieve equality when the choice is up to the members of the political parties, whether Conservative, Liberal or NDP, and then ultimately the population?
How can we achieve the equality we hope for so much?