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Editorial
Estrogen shortage on ballot
It looks like women
will be significantly under-represented at the council tables
of both North and South Dundas next term. Again.
As of press time this week, only one woman in each township -
incumbents Estella Rose in the North and Evonne Delegarde in
the South - have thrown their proverbial hats into the ring for
the Mon., Oct. 25 showdown.
With women representing about 52 per cent of the Canadian population,
you'd figure females would occupy two or three of the five council
seats per township, on average. But that isn't the case. Municipal
councils, like all levels of government, continue to be male
dominated. Despite being perceived as a socially progressive
country, Canada continues to perform abysmally on the United
Nation's ranking of women in government. We're currently tied
for 50th in the world. That's in comparison to first-ranked Rwanda,
followed by Sweden and South Africa. To be fair, these lists
are controversial - some countries jack their statistics by instituting
quota systems, which detractors say allow under-qualified women
to get into office, unfairly excluding worthy and competent men.
The trouble is, you won't see more Canadian women in office unless
they want to be there. To get elected, of course, you have to
run. Many women continue to appear disinterested in the political
process. The activist organization Equal Voice points out that
many obstacles contribute to Canada's political gender imbalance.
Equal Voice advocates recruiting and training women candidates,
offering family-friendly work environments, electoral financing
reforms, awareness campaigns, and more.
However, research suggests that confidence - not necessarily
a lack of interest on the ladies' part - may be the problem.
A 2004 study from Brown University and Union College in the U.S.
found that well-qualified women were significantly less likely
to perceive themselves as being able to succeed politically,
compared to their male counterparts.
We know there are ladies out there in Dundas County - perhaps
even reading this editorial right now - who have toyed with the
idea of serving on municipal council. Yes, the politician's job
is sometimes a thankless one, and you do need a thick skin. But
it can also be one of the most rewarding and meaningful ways
to serve your community and institute real change at the grassroots
level.
Like most things in life, you'll never know until you try.
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