We should abandon the idea of finding the 'perfect' female candidate - Janet Bagnall
Wed, 2007-05-16 14:30
#1
We should abandon the idea of finding the 'perfect' female candidate - Janet Bagnall
Wed, 2007-05-16 14:30
#2
[url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=35fa7... Gazette Op-Ed May 16th, 2007[/url]
I thought this was an interesting article.
Excerpt:
***
quote:
For a party looking for a scapegoat, Royal presents a perfect target. Her campaign floundered over unsourced spending promises and a surprising ignorance of world affairs.Beyond the question of Royal's own political survival is a larger issue: Whether her failure will be used to shoulder aside other women seeking top office. Women do not get many chances in politics, British pollster Peter Kellner of YouGov told the London Times. Women's best chance of winning, he said, is when their country is in the midst of significant political change, as Britain was in 1979 when Margaret Thatcher came to power. Voters in France and the U.S. show few signs of wanting a big change, Kellner said.
Very interesting, I'm not sure what to think. I didn't know political parties were disrespecting the parity law - let alone disrespecting it flagrantly. I didn't really follow the French election because I'm not French. If she had really used her children to threaten the politician father into supporting her, I probably would have held that against her and not voted for her. I like to believe I would have done the same with respect to a male politician. I think the first reaction though would have been to be incredibly skeptical about the veracity of the claim, and question the motive.
Some female friends had told me recently that they find the most successful female politicians often look like men, and they'd relate more to female politicians who look and dress like women.
Personally, I've never voted for a woman. Actually, I can't recall ever seeing a female name on my ballot after like 4 elections. Hopefully it will change sometime, as law schools seem dominated by female students, and in Canada we have an irrational fetish for politicians who want to law schools.
[ 16 May 2007: Message edited by: 500_Apples ]
[ 16 May 2007: Message edited by: 500_Apples ]
Wed, 2007-05-16 15:40
#3
You know, I don't think I've ever voted for a woman either, come to think of it! I don't think I've ever had the opportunity.
Regarding the "perfect female candidate", I have a slightly different take on it. I think we should abandon the idea that female candidates have to be "perfect" in order to nominate them and then vote for them.
Wed, 2007-05-16 16:29
#4
quote:
Michelle:
You know, I don't think I've ever voted for a woman either, come to think of it! I don't think I've ever had the opportunity.Regarding the "perfect female candidate", I have a slightly different take on it. I think we should abandon the idea that female candidates have to be "perfect" in order to nominate them and then vote for them.
What is perfection anyway? Why gauge a candidate based on gender? What counts is political philosophy and ability to do a good job.
You should move out here Michelle. I have had the opportunity to vote for and even help elect a number of women, at all levels of government, and in candidate selection contests.
Wed, 2007-05-16 16:57
#5
Proud to have helped elect women MLA's in two provinces and numerous municipal politicians.
I will still keep helping elect my male MP becaue he does a great job and is a progressive voice.
Looking for perfection is ludicous because perfect humans are few and far between and at this stage in my life I don't want to run for office.
Thu, 2007-05-17 20:46
#6
I'd rather elect a competent, leftist man than elect a woman solely based on her gender- especially if her views don't match mine.
Fri, 2007-05-18 03:44
#7
quote:
Originally posted by Jerry West:
[b]You should move out here Michelle. I have had the opportunity to vote for and even help elect a number of women, at all levels of government, and in candidate selection contests.[/b]
I should. In my riding, the NDP's commitment to nominating women and minorities means "as soon as the riding looks even slightly winnable, parachute a white middle-aged guy into a nomination race that has a young woman and a gay Portuguese guy running, and get Ed Broadbent to endorse him."
Sat, 2007-05-19 09:13
#8
lol ! I like your phrasing, but it's true, even of the best party in Canada.
doesn't this bring us back again to the oft discussed topic of why women don't get elected to parliament in Canada ?
[ 19 May 2007: Message edited by: Pride for Red Dolores ]
[ 19 May 2007: Message edited by: Pride for Red Dolores ]
Sat, 2007-05-19 09:38
#9
remind
quote:
Originally posted by kropotkin1951:
[b]Proud to have helped elect women MLA's in two provinces and numerous municipal politicians.
[/b]
Me too, both provincially and municipally. Federally, I have never lived in a riding that had a woman NDP candidate running, or who was wanting to run, though often the riding next door did.
Now moving along to All Candidates Forums, having sponsored several at one point, and was audience member in even more, I know that no matter the gender of the NDP candidate, things will be skewed against them, if at all possible. Also, women candidates were fielded low level questions, while pre-formatted questions were given to the "select" male candidate. This is why direct questions from the floor has become limited, as opposed to written down and handed to the moderator questions.
Sat, 2007-05-19 23:09
#10
To 500_Apple:
Thank you for bringing up the topic. I was so disappointed when I heard that Royal lost the elections. She did a great job as a Minister of Families and Social Affairs, it is her achievement, that French women have no difficulties finding a day-care when they want to go back to work. I thought it was so unfair to say she had no agenda. She said she would take the point of view of a woman in her office, and she proved through her previous work that she was able to do that. What a shame to vote for a racist instead of voting for a feminist. I voted against Angela Merkel, the conservative German chancellor, because she insisted being a woman will make no difference to her office. I hope one day there will be more female than male candidates, so that the few men will have to prove that they are good enough for the tough job.