GET WITH THE TIMES

As more women take office in the legislature, the likelihood of pregnancy during their time in office — naturally — goes up as well. The present system is not set up to handle this reality.

Last week, Regina Douglas Park MLA Nicole Sarauer announced she is expecting a baby in July. It’s happy news, but news that also draws attention to just how rare it is for an expectant or new mother to serve in public office.

The only other example that could be found in the provincial government’s history was Gay Caswell, who served Saskatoon Westmount in the 1980s. In a recent interview with the Leader-post, she recalled the “complete exhaustion” of caring for an infant while shouldering the same responsibilities as other MLAS.

The low number of women who have served in the legislature — only 56 in the history of Saskatchewan — has contributed to an atmosphere that does not take maternity leave or other family-friendly measures into consideration.

Such matters are dealt with by an all-party Legislative Board of Internal Economy committee. Under the board’s current directives, $250 is deducted from a Saskatchewan MLA’S pay for each day he or she is absent from a sitting of the legislature, unless the absence is due to constituency or government business, bereavement, illness or injury, serious illness of a family member, or “exceptional family circumstances, approved by the Speaker.” There is no explicit allowance for maternity. “I think I got some days of sick leave,” Caswell recalled. That the Saskatchewan government remains unprepared for such a circumstance in 2019 is startling. Steps should be taken immediately to address this. Both government and opposition members of the board are hoping to discuss maternity leave provisions as soon as possible. After Alberta MLA Stephanie Mclean became the first member of that province’s legislature to give birth while in office in 2016, the Alberta government struck a subcommittee to bring in measures to accommodate parents — practical adjustments such as changing stations in the bathrooms and booster seats in the cafeteria. Making serving as an MLA more family-friendly will also help the men in the legislature. Paternity leave is becoming more common, and should be an option for elected officials. Their children deserve the same parental attention as children of the rest of the workforce.

Saskatchewan needs to quickly get with the times. If this province is serious about attracting the best candidates to the legislature, it must prepare for the possibility that some of those candidates will be people with young families.