Swearing- in a banner day for women in politics

In caucus, and in cabinet, Notley will be as likely to see a woman as a man

Premier Rachel Notley faces many challenges, starting with: Are there enough washrooms for all those female MLAs?

The question is half- serious. In olden days, the rare female member of the Alberta legislature had to hoof it across the building to find facilities.

Women politicians were an afterthought, a curiosity, lucky to be part of the boys’ club. They were sent down the hall with directions and a pat on the head.

This gender imbalance improved somewhat over the PC years, but not by much.

In the final days of Jim Prentice’s government, the caucus had 69 MLAs. Only 16 were women. That was after Prentice scored two Wildrose draft picks, Danielle Smith and Kerry Towle.

Low female representation is still typical in Canada, even where women hold the top spot.

Premier Christy Clark’s B. C. government has 16 women in a caucus of 48. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s huge cabinet — nearly 30 ministers — is also about one- third female.

Before the Alberta election, Notley’s NDP caucus was only 25 per cent female. There was her, and three men.

Then came Monday’s swearingin ceremony — by any measure, a watershed moment for women in Canadian politics.

Twenty- five of 53 NDP members are female, even after Notley evicted Deborah Drever from caucus.

Sources said Monday a judicial recount has upheld a six- vote NDP victory in Calgary- Glenmore. There’s now a three- day window for the PCs to appeal.

With or without Calgary- Glenmore, the NDP boasts a caucus as close to practical female equality as you’ll find in Canadian politics.

Notley reinforced the point by choosing six men and six women ( including herself ) as ministers. There’s never been such a balanced cabinet in Alberta, not even close.

And Notley is the premier. That further tilts the gender balance. We have a government where women, as a group, may actually be more important than men.

The New Democrats don’t think of themselves this way, and they shouldn’t. They’re supposed to represent us all, not their gender.

Some people are even offended by the head count. One guy said truculently on Twitter that he doesn’t see men and women, just people.

But many Alberta women appear to be happy. That includes PCs who don’t bother to hide their delight with at least this element of NDP rule.

Prentice himself saw a gender problem coming. He tried hard to recruit talented women, and was pleased with the arrival of Towle and Smith.

Unfortunately for the PCs, they lost, along with most of the men.

Only Sandra Jansen managed to win a seat. Now she sits with eight male colleagues.

The Wildrose caucus is similarly gender- starved, with only two women out of 21 MLAs.

The paucity of females in opposition ranks still makes the legislature look traditional. Out of 87 ridings ( with one still pending), 58 are represented by men, 29 by women.

But women have the clout where it counts — in the government itself.

Notley is far too smart to let gender concerns dominate her agenda. But they’ll still receive more attention than any Alberta government has given them before.

First up, Notley kept a campaign promise by appointing Lethbridge- West MLA Shannon Phillips as minister for the status of women, with a mandate “to lead initiatives for greater gender equality in Alberta.”

Phillips has had little to say so far, but pay equity is likely on the medium- term agenda. There could eventually be legislation to force a narrowing of the pay gap.

Notley also promised $ 25- a- day children’s care “as Alberta’s finances permit.” She pledged more women’s shelter spaces, as well as a boost in support for agencies that deal with violence against women.

She promised to review employment standards, to support “family- friendly work standards, including improving compassionate care leaves and providing time off for family responsibilities.”

The Notley campaign presented these as family benefits, not solely for women. The premier is shrewd about how she pushes the buttons.

But the election gave her what she clearly wanted. In caucus, she’s as likely to see a woman as a man. She’ll have a level of comfort and support no Canadian female leader has ever experienced.

It’s high time for that. Finally, a premier can pay more than lip service to serious inequalities.