Women to take over Parliament for a day

Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef announced $3.8 million in federal funds for a national project on Wednesday that invites 338 young women — one for each of Canada’s federal ridings — to take over Parliament for a day, and then to later develop a community pilot project of her choice.

It’s called Daughters of the Vote and the funding will allow it to take place in 2019 and in 2021.

“We are part of a sisterhood — and our responsibility to that sisterhood is to strengthen it,” said Monsef at a press conference live-streamed from Ottawa on Wednesday.

Daughters of the Vote was organized once before on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017.

The idea is to select a young woman, aged 18 to 23, to take her respective MP’s seat in Parliament for a day, where she will be expected to represent her riding and communicate her vision for Canada, according to a press release from Status of Women Canada.

Next, the women will each develop a community project in her riding and will be provided with “a support system” to bring it to fruition, states the press release — including mentorship from former MPs and senators.

Daughters of the Vote is a project of Equal Voice, a national organization dedicated to electing more women to public office.

The details of the application process will be forthcoming soon, states the press release.

At the press conference, Monsef said she wants to see “more opportunities and fewer barriers” for young women as they develop leadership skills.

“For too long, women’s voices have been missing in key spaces in Canadian life,” she said, pointing to politics as one area where women are outnumbered by men.

Only 27 per cent of MPs are women, she said. In provincial and territorial legislatures, women occupy 33 per cent of the seats. And only 18 per cent of Canada’s mayors are women, Monsef said.

“Despite the hard-won progress, we’re not there yet,” she said. “Canada can do better, and will do better.”

The funding for Daughters of the Vote is expected to boost that, Monsef said, although she also said not every participant will choose a life in politics.

The young women may be future journalists, CEOs or investors, she said — but each one will “grow her capacity in leadership” through the program.

It was mentioned at the press conference that private sponsors are also part of the project, such as Via Rail and Air Canada, which donate travel vouchers in support of Daughters of the Vote.

NOTE: The website for the program is www.daughtersofthevote.ca/