Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft was joined by Edmonton-Centre MLA Laurie Blakeman in lauching the 'Take Our Place' program yesterday. The TOP initiative is geared towards getting more women involved in provincial politics.
From the media release:The Take Our Place program brings together a mentor team of dynamic women, including current and former Alberta Liberal MLAs, to support and encourage new candidates, as well as to identify barriers to political participation and find ways to eliminate or reduce them. While the program is currently focused on creating opportunities for women in the upcoming election, it will continue in the post-election period.
In 1998, eight of the then-eighteen member Alberta Liberal Caucus were women.
“There are so many issues important to women and families in Alberta,” Blakeman notes. “Our perspective is critical if real progress is to be made. It’s time we had more women at the decision-making table.”
Thursday, September 06, 2007
alberta liberals reach for the TOP.
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13 comments:
Not to poke a hole in this initiative, but don't you think touting a statistic from 9 years ago is a bit disingenuous?
In 2007, three of the now-sixteen Alberta Liberal Caucus are women.
And not to mention, the caucus was 18, now less than that ;-)
Great job. I hope the trend continues.
Also, isn't your Harry Strom reference getting a little long in the tooth?
Since we persist in using weak labels, is it just me or is Kevin Taft getting smiling lessons? Wow... at this rate he may even become human... by 2020.
That's a little rich coming from an anonymous blog commenter.
I don't think it's disingenuous, Blake. I was just pointing out how the situation has changed over the past decade (In fact, the total amount of women elected in the Alberta Legislature peaked after the 1997 election and has dropped from that point).
In 1998, 23 out of 83 MLA's were women.
Carol Haley (PC)
Janis Tarchuk (PC)
Bonnie Laing (PC)
Yvonne Fritz (PC)
Jocelyn Burgener (PC)
Heather Forsyth (PC)
Pat Black/Nelson (PC)
Marlene Graham (PC)
Karen Kryczka (PC)
Shirley McClellan (PC)
Pamela Paul (Lib)
Laurie Blakeman (Lib)
Debby Carlson (Lib)
Pam Barrett (ND)
Nancy MacBeth (Lib) (Elected in a 1998 by-election)
Karen Leibovici (Lib)
Sue Olsen (Lib)
Linda Sloan (Lib)
Judy Gordon (PC)
Pearl Calahasen (PC)
Iris Evans (PC)
Mary O'Neill (PC)
Colleen Soetaert (Lib)
Today, there are 11 women MLA's elected to the Alberta Legislature out of 83.
Pearl Calahasen (PC)
Janis Tarchuk (PC)
Mary Anne Jablonski (PC)
Laurie Blakeman (Lib)
Weslyn Mather (Lib)
Bridget Pastoor (Lib)
Iris Evans (PC)
Alana DeLong (PC)
Yvonne Fritz (PC)
Cindy Ady (PC)
Heather Forsyth (PC)
Wow. from 23 to 11. What a shame. Let's hope that the next election changes this for the better.
It should also be noted that the NDP haven't elected a women MLA since 1997.
why should that be noted? It's not like the NDP are a real player in Alberta politics.
I can almost guarentee you Rachel Notley at least will be improving the gender balance in the NDP caucus in the upcoming election.
The all-party statistic is more telling and worthy to note.
Regardless of their affiliation, it would be nice to see more women be encouraged to run for office. On that, we can wholeheartedly agree.
I can almost guarentee you Rachel Notley at least will be improving the gender balance in the NDP caucus in the upcoming election.
The PCs are going to take that seat. Period.
"The PCs are going to take that seat. Period."
Do they even have a candidate yet?
It doesn't matter. The PCs will destroy the pair of socialist twins that the Libs and Dippers field. Without the incumbency advantage, this is a top pickup opportunity for the forces of good.
Yea, the Tories are dropping like a stone in the polls, but they will pick up a riding they haven't won since 1982.
Sure.
Dateline 2009 - "Forces of good" launch "Non-force of good relocation program".
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