Gender Equity

Great progress was made over the last century in the struggle to achieve equality between men and women. Gender roles in the workforce and at home continue to change with each new generation. However, we are not by any stretch of the imagination living in a society where men and women share equally in the burdens and rewards of society. Much work remains to be done, and the NDP can and should be on the front lines of this struggle.

The continued suppression of gender analysis by the Sask Party, including the elimination of “Status of Women” as a ministerial title, is couched in the language of “gender neutrality.” However, as was well-described in the recent CCPA-Sask study “Gender Analysis and Budgeting," there is a world of difference between gender neutral and gender blind.

Women in Saskatchewan continue to be paid less than men for the same work (84% of what men earn, on average, and far less in many industries). Women continue to face barriers to work and education. Women are also more likely to live in poverty, to have difficulty obtaining quality housing, and to experience physical violence.

Our provincial policies and programs should take these inequalities into account. Every budget or program should be analyzed through a gender lens to be sure that the interests of women and the principles of equality are reflected. The same sort of analysis should also be done regarding other under-represented groups, in particular First Nations and Metis people.

One small but important aspect of working towards gender equity involves increasing the number of women as elected representatives and leaders within the NDP.

Too often in our party, there has been no succession planning, no deliberate process of institutional renewal in constituency associations and party sections. We should be constantly identifying and mentoring new and emerging leaders. This process includes a determined effort to seek out women, and people from other under-represented groups as candidates and party leaders.

Coordinated mentorship from women and men in caucus, on the executive and in other leadership roles in the party will foster the involvement of the next generation of women leaders. Retreats and courses for female party activists, particularly involving current and former female MLAs and party office holders, would help interested women chart their respective political futures. Hiring a staff organizer for the SNDW who could facilitate this process would support a more proactive approach.

Candidate recruitment must include identifying strong and credible female candidates in every constituency. We can continue to work with party leaders and other progressives in every constituency to identify potential candidates.

We should adapt the federal party’s nomination rules and require at least one equity-seeking candidate in the race before a nominating convention can happen.
 All candidacies should be contested. No candidate for a nomination – no incumbent MLA, no hand-picked star candidate, not even the leader – should be protected from a contested nomination. 


Having women as candidates is in keeping with the egalitarian philosophy of the NDP. It also translates into electoral success: a great combination. With concentrated effort we can go from talking about 50% women candidates to winning with women as candidates in key ridings.

Perhaps the most important strategy, however, is policy. Our party needs to address issues that are important to women. If we advocate for pay equity, affordable child care and other policies that address social inequities, more women will see the party as a place to work alongside others for the betterment of all.

Pay Equity: Saskatchewan is one of only three provinces with no pay equity legislation. The 2004 Canadian Department of Justice report gave recommendations for national proactive pay equity legislation that applies to all people, including women, people of colour, Aboriginal people and people with disabilities. These recommendations have been ignored at the federal level but would be easily enacted here in Saskatchewan.

Child Care: Increased funding of child care has proven to be an effective means of decreasing child poverty and making it easier for women to pursue education or employment. The government of Quebec provides child care spots at $7 per day per child—why couldn’t Saskatchewan do the same? Or at the very least, we need to introduce a sliding scale for access to publicly funded child care, and the minimum amount a family can earn before child care support is cut off needs to be raised from the current $1,600/month. We should also support two-parent families that choose to have one parent not work outside the home, recognizing that this is a valid option and one that requires a sacrifice of economic opportunities. Providing child care support for parents and children is a way to invest in our economy and address inequalities.

Recognition that gender equity encompasses not just gender, but sexual orientation as well: We can move forward on including gender identity in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, ensuring government service providers such as Canadian Blood Services implement modern donor policies and promoting safer schools and communities. Together we will continue to promote public understanding and combat homophobia and transphobia.

Saskatchewan should be, and must be, a welcoming, inclusive place for all people. Only by recognizing the gender inequity that persists in our province, and working to address it, can we truly build a health society.

Dream Big

What if the Legislature were a better environment to work in? The current atmosphere is not particularly welcoming. The discourse and debate are often disrespectful and combative. Sask Party MLA Mike Chisholm may have apologized for his deeply offensive slur against my fellow leadership candidate Deb Higgins, but the fact that this could take place at all shows a serious lack of decorum and basic respect. Worse yet, it points to an atmosphere where sexist remarks and attitudes persist.

In other countries, serious efforts have been made to encourage the involvement of women in politics. These include provision of child care and more family-friendly legislative work hours. They also involve parliamentary reform. One appealing option is a simple reorganization of seating in the legislature. Rather than sitting in party blocks, representatives in some countries are seated alphabetically or geographically. This means that opponents are seated side-by-side, rather than in opposition. It becomes much more difficult to childishly shout down one’s opponents if you are sitting next to them and making small talk every day. Improving the legislative environment would cause fewer people to be turned off by the electoral system, and may help to address voter apathy and remove obstacles to the participation of under-represented groups.