It’s time to make space for women in politics

Pedestal for a future female premier could be stark cue, says Larissa Shasko.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day (which takes place March 8) is to press for progress on gender parity. Here in Saskatchewan, this should include making space for women in politics.

Currently, only 15 of 61 MLAs are women, and only 56 women have ever served as MLAs in our province. And in the more than 100 years since women were first given the right to vote in Saskatchewan, we have never had a female premier.

There are many ways that Saskatchewan can press for progress, including symbolic changes that can motivate us to move forward.

In the rotunda of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building are the busts of three historic political leaders: Walter Scott, the first premier of Saskatchewan; John Diefenbaker, the first and only Canadian prime minister from Saskatchewan, and Tommy Douglas, the “Father of Medicare.” In 2001, these men were honoured as part of Saskatchewan’s millennium celebrations in recognition of their impact on the province in the 20th century. Three busts were unveiled, but four marble pedestals to hold them were commissioned. The fourth pedestal sits empty in the rotunda, and serves as a source of curiosity about its purpose.

I had a conversation with a colleague years ago about how the empty pedestal would one day hold the bust of Saskatchewan’s first female premier. I was recently told there has been no formal commitment regarding whom the pedestal will one day honour.

The #PressforProgress campaign brought the fourth pedestal to mind following the recent Saskatchewan political leadership elections. Both the Saskatchewan Party and the New Democrats have chosen male party leaders, meaning they will be heading into the next provincial election with male candidates for premier. While there is much to be celebrated about the NDP’s election of a socially progressive leader in Ryan Meili who will likely advance feminist causes in his leadership, gender parity requires addressing the lack of women who are actually elected representatives. As we press for progress in male-dominated areas like politics, the military, science or mining, it is important to understand why this problem exists in the first place. Historically, these are male spaces.

Simply having the vote and being able to seek office has not transformed the cultural and societal dynamics that continue to exclude women.

The male-dominated culture of politics makes it unappealing for women. We need to change attitudes that focus more on the personal lives of female politicians than they do on those of male politicians, and the way we talk about elections using language that perpetuates gendered stereotypes (such as “throwing the winning punch” in debates). A culture where heckling during question period is encouraged, and being a mother and an MLA at the same time are nearly impossible, makes it difficult for women to want to seek office, especially when they are judged by voters on whether or not they are “man enough” to win.

The millennium busts draw our attention to these concerns. When I asked about the idea of holding the empty pedestal for the bust of the first female premier, someone commented that the problem with doing so is that Saskatchewan may never have a female premier. Sadly, this may be true. And yet, this is exactly why the fourth pedestal should be assigned that purpose. Doing so would serve as a reminder of the invisibility of women in power.

As communities debate tearing down outdated statues because of the oppressive histories these statues honour, we need to think about making space for a statue that has never been created because of oppressive histories. As we push for progress on gender parity, we need to imagine the power of creating space — literal and symbolic — for women. When and if the provincial government decides to assign a purpose for the stillempty pedestal, I hope that women are not again excluded simply because they have not yet overcome a system that was originally designed without them.