Feminists and their acolytes have long complained that there just are not enough “women” elected to the provincial legislatures and to Parliament. Of course, it is not “women”, that is, those of the female gender, whom they want to adorn the hallways and chambers of our legislatures and Parliament, but, rather, feminists. For example, feminists regard, with scorn, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The latter, during her term of office, changed the UK from a nation with a desperate, sinking economy, to a nation with a robust economy that made the UK one of the most prosperous nations in all of Europe. It used to be said of Mrs. Thatcher that there wasn’t an institution left in Britain - labour, education, industry or politics etc., at which she hadn’t swung with a hefty heave of her handbag. Shy and retiring, she was not! One would think that feminists would idolize her. Alas, she did not share the feminists’ socialist policies of state intervention and regulation, which they believe, solves all problems. As a result, Mrs. Thatcher is not “recognized” by feminists, who absurdly insist that Ms. Thatcher does not qualify as a “female politician”.
Feminists are desperate to have more women of their own sort elected, in order to form a critical mass, a minimum of 30%, of females in Parliament and the legislatures. Only then, would they be able to dominate the government, both federal and provincial, by imposing their special interest policies.
Feminist frustration is palpable over this lack of women in politics. In general, however, women for many reasons, do not share this enthusiasm for elected office. Hence, feminists have decided to encourage women in politics by a policy of affirmative action whereby females can be appointed candidates rather than having to go through an election process for nomination, ie. eliminate their actually having to compete for a nomination.
For example, in November 2007, the British Columbia provincial NDP party passed a motion that 30% of constituencies that don’t already have designated candidates will henceforth have only female candidates. In short, the British Columbia NDP has suspended democracy in order to apply affirmative action. Apparently, the NDP would rather go down in flames than making winning a priority. They prefer to impose “equity” policies. Nationally, the NDP has a similar policy of imposing on the electorate at least 50% women.
The federal Liberal party has also enacted a policy of ensuring that 33% of all ridings will be comprised of female candidates. As a result of this policy, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion appointed a woman, Ms. Joan Beatty, (former Saskatchewan NDP Provincial Minister of Environment) as the candidate in the Saskatchewan riding of Cumberland, in the March 17, 2008 by-election. This disqualified an angry David Orchard, who had worked very hard and spent a large sum of money to obtain the nomination. The inevitable result was that the female Liberal candidate went down to defeat to a Conservative win, because many Liberal voters, disappointed in the undemocratic process at the nomination stage, sat out the by-election. Mr. Dion, however, is undeterred by this experience, and is busily looking around for other female candidates to make up his 33% quota for the forthcoming federal election.
Fortunately, the Conservative Party has not adopted a policy of affirmative action for women. As a result, the Conservatives have a number of competent female MPs (as well as a number of incompetent female MPs: the same as with male MPs). However, at least all the Conservatives have been elected democratically. |
