Kim Campbell

[jdobbin]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080110/...ministers_women

As the country's first ministers unpack their suits and ties for their meeting in the nation's capital, Canada's first and only female prime minister is bemoaning the lack of women in federal positions of power.

In particular, Kim Campbell says the small number of women in Stephen Harper's Conservative cabinet signals the issue is a low priority for his government.

Her comments come exactly a year after Harper shuffled his top female minister out of Environment and into the Intergovernmental Affairs portfolio. Since then Rona Ambrose has been virtually invisible on the public scene, even this week as the premiers gather to meet in Ottawa for perhaps the most important intergovernmental meeting of the year.

Campbell noted in an interview Thursday that she doesn't keep track of all the players on the federal scene. But she said that the message the Harper government is sending by having only five female cabinet ministers out of 27 is that "it's not an important issue to them."

Given the list of who will be running for the Tories next election, they still seem light on women running and the women they do have are just not in any major positions of power.

[capricorn]

A party can boost its female representation by circumventing the democratic candidate selection process (Beatty/Orchard controversy) purely for optics. Or a party can let the riding associations do their own thing. The latter is preferable.

Anyway, who really cares what Campbell has to say. Must be a slow day in political news for a reporter to seek her out for a story. Oh look, Jennifer Ditchburn is the author, one of the CBC's favourite free lancers.

[jdobbin]

A party can boost its female representation by circumventing the democratic candidate selection process (Beatty/Orchard controversy) purely for optics. Or a party can let the riding associations do their own thing. The latter is preferable.

Anyway, who really cares what Campbell has to say. Must be a slow day in political news for a reporter to seek her out for a story. Oh look, Jennifer Ditchburn is the author, one of the CBC's favourite free lancers.

I think in terms of optics we see Harper place all the women from his caucus behind him in the House of Commons so that it doesn't emphasize that it is completely dominated by men.

As for cares what Canada's first female Prime Minister has to say about the lack of women in Harper's cabinet? We certainly know the Tories don't care.

[capricorn]

I think in terms of optics we see Harper place all the women from his caucus behind him in the House of Commons so that it doesn't emphasize that it is completely dominated by men.

Good thinking on his part.

As for cares what Canada's first female Prime Minister has to say about the lack of women in Harper's cabinet? We certainly know the Tories don't care.

I believe you're right there.

[Kitchener]

In my riding in 04, the Conservative candidate stopped going to all-candidate debates after saying at one debate that the Conservatives had fewer women running for them because, uh, "women think different than me".

When the boos started, he hastily repaired the damage by adding that any women who wanted to could come on down to his campaign office and help out.

Strangely, that didn't appease the crowd. Damned socialists. I blame Trudeau.

[jdobbin]

In my riding in 04, the Conservative candidate stopped going to all-candidate debates after saying at one debate that the Conservatives had fewer women running for them because, uh, "women think different than me".

And the Tories wonder why women are not supporting them in numbers that put them in majority territory? The reason is that they don't advocate for issues that they find important. They don't recruit enough women who would at least given them perspective on other issues. The women they do have in cabinet have to follow the script from the PMO and when the issue explodes like it did with the environment, they demote that minister.

[Kitchener]

And the Tories wonder why women are not supporting them in numbers that put them in majority territory? The reason is that they don't advocate for issues that they find important. They don't recruit enough women who would at least given them perspective on other issues. The women they do have in cabinet have to follow the script from the PMO and when the issue explodes like it did with the environment, they demote that minister.

Maybe. I wouldn't read too much into the example I gave. I just thought it was funny. But the Conservatives (I don't really think they're Tories) had the sense not to run him again, at least.

[blueblood]

How about calling it a good old coincidence. Best person for the job, if in reality the guys in the CPC just are better candidates than the women, why not have the best candidates doing the job?

Why should Harper water down his party for the sake of affirmative action? It works the other way too, if a whole crop of women turn out to be much better candidates than the men, they should be thrown in too and the men would have to step up their game. It's all about getting the best all around candidate and whoever is better (guy or girl) should get the job.

[jdobbin]

How about calling it a good old coincidence. Best person for the job, if in reality the guys in the CPC just are better candidates than the women, why not have the best candidates doing the job?

Why should Harper water down his party for the sake of affirmative action? It works the other way too, if a whole crop of women turn out to be much better candidates than the men, they should be thrown in too and the men would have to step up their game. It's all about getting the best all around candidate and whoever is better (guy or girl) should get the job.

That's all well and good. However, don't be surprised if many women think that a party dominated by men might not think the same way on issues that they find important.

[Oleg Bach]

That's all well and good. However, don't be surprised if many women think that a party dominated by men might not think the same way on issues that they find important.

Don't panic. Almost all traditional conservatives are quietly ruled by the wifes that form committees that the men are not welcomed to join. You don't need a stronger female presence in the Tory party - the woman rule from home...ask any "powerful" Tory about his spouse and corresponding females - ask who rules - they will sheepishly say the woman. Also if you stand out side the average Canadian court house and talk with some of the older male lawyers they will say one thing - "The woman run the place" . So don't fret, the females are in firm control. The men are just posturing.

[jdobbin]

But the Conservatives (I don't really think they're Tories) had the sense not to run him again, at least.

The Tories would do well and good to recruit women to their party. That might be a hard task given what happened to Belinda Stronach. Despite problems due to her inexperience in politics, she was an organizational force and helped people like Preston Manning in substantive ways.

She was the voice in the Conservative party on many social issues. That voice didn't have a role in Harper's party and contributed to her crossing the floor. That's politics. What happened after that crossed line and probably gave pause to other women who may have liked the Tories but were appalled at the personal attacks on her afterwards,

[Oleg Bach]

The Tories would do well and good to recruit women to their party. That might be a hard task given what happened to Belinda Stronach. Despite problems due to her inexperience in politics, she was an organizational force and helped people like Preston Manning in substantive ways.

She was the voice in the Conservative party on many social issues. That voice didn't have a role in Harper's party and contributed to her crossing the floor. That's politics. What happened after that crossed line and probably gave pause to other women who may have liked the Tories but were appalled at the personal attacks on her afterwards,

Belinda is not a woman. She is a fathers son in a sense...The national socialism and enforced corporate atheism that is Magna - Belinda was NOT and organizational force - she was a bully surrounded by bigger hired male bullies. Have you ever had a look at her personal security - scarey...not to mention the intimidation of the brown subdivision dwellers...but I will not speak further - except to say - this woman attempted to bribe her way to the top and the party took the money and betrayed her...so she was pissed off as was pops. The problem dear Belinda had was not the lack of political experience but the lack of natural intelligence - her type buy brains..but I guess the right ones are not for sale.

[capricorn]

She was the voice in the Conservative party on many social issues. That voice didn't have a role in Harper's party and contributed to her crossing the floor. That's politics.

Belinda had her own agenda...power. She didn't take the time required to have a "voice" in the Conservative Party. Things were not moving fast enough for her. Had she crossed the floor and stayed as a backbench Liberal I would have had more respect for her. But, she jumps ship and instantly became a Minister in Martin's cabinet. Now, that's politics.

[Michael Bluth]

The Tories would do well and good to recruit women to their party. That might be a hard task given what happened to Belinda Stronach. Despite problems due to her inexperience in politics, she was an organizational force and helped people like Preston Manning in substantive ways.

Yet another misrepresentation.

What did she ever do to help Preston Manning?

Rhymes with duck all...

[sharkman]

The Tories seem to be doing pretty well in the minorities department, however. I think Ambrose was a little rough around the edges at first, wasn't it the Liberal party(the party of women ) who was partly so hard on her at first? She'll be a big player one day if she keeps at it.

[jdobbin]

Belinda had her own agenda...power. She didn't take the time required to have a "voice" in the Conservative Party. Things were not moving fast enough for her. Had she crossed the floor and stayed as a backbench Liberal I would have had more respect for her. But, she jumps ship and instantly became a Minister in Martin's cabinet. Now, that's politics.

I don't know how much time she needed in the Conservative party before she was to have a voice. She was around as early as 2000 as an organizer and fundraiser. Certainly Preston Manning speaks highly of her.

Manning said this in his memoir Think Big. Stronach delivered "a substantive introduction in which she clearly explained why she wanted the Alliance and my candidacy to succeed", and he later thanked her for "unflagging support" in that campaign.

She was inexperienced as an MP most certainly and had her share of gaffes. However, what she went through in terms of abuse probably made quite a few women think twice about the Tories.

Edited January 11, 2008 by jdobbin

[sharkman]

I don't know, I think most MARRIED women didn't think much of her playing around with other women's husbands. She did a lousy job to boot, so the Liberal party scooped her up which is when she got bored with politics. I can't blame her there! :lol:

[capricorn]

I think Ambrose was a little rough around the edges at first, wasn't it the Liberal party(the party of women ) who was partly so hard on her at first? She'll be a big player one day if she keeps at it.

Ambrose was out of her depth in the Environment portfolio. I agree, she will do better later, after more experience.

[capricorn]

She was inexperienced as an MP most certainly and had her share of gaffes. However, what she went through in terms of abuse probably made quite a few women think twice about the Tories.

You can't blame women not running for the Conservative Party on Belinda and the "abuse" she received. Women shying away from politics in general goes deeper than that.

[jdobbin]

You can't blame women not running for the Conservative Party on Belinda and the "abuse" she received. Women shying away from politics in general goes deeper than that.

Women are shying away from the Tories according to the last four polls from Ipsos. How it it happened and why it is happening should be of concern to Harper. Women used to be more conservative in their votes.

Edited January 11, 2008 by jdobbin

[Visionseeker]

In my riding in 04, the Conservative candidate stopped going to all-candidate debates after saying at one debate that the Conservatives had fewer women running for them because, uh, "women think different than me".

When the boos started, he hastily repaired the damage by adding that any women who wanted to could come on down to his campaign office and help out.

Strangely, that didn't appease the crowd. Damned socialists. I blame Trudeau.

LOL!

Really, LOL!

[capricorn]

How it it happened and why it is happening should be of concern to Harper. Women used to be more conservative in their votes.

Liberals should also be concerned since they have to raid other parties (Beatty, former NDP) to boost the number of women Liberal candidates.

[Visionseeker]

Liberals should also be concerned since they have to raid other parties (Beatty, former NDP) to boost the number of women Liberal candidates.

Well, I guess the point is that the Liberals can attract high profile female candidates. When was the last time that the conservatives drew a profiled female candidate.

I am surprised by the short-sightedness of the Cons on this score. I guess they really are just angry and not smart.

[Michael Bluth]

Liberals should also be concerned since they have to raid other parties (Beatty, former NDP) to boost the number of women Liberal candidates.

And appoint them, rather than subject them to nomination battles: Dhalla, Beatty, Hall Findlay and so on and so on and so on.

Conservative candidates who fight the nomination battles and win are stronger politicians who don't dismiss the possibility of children being beaten. See Diane Ablonczy, Diane Findley, Bev Oda, Helena Guergis, etc. etc. etc.

I am surprised by the short-sightedness of the Cons on this score. I guess they really are just angry and not smart.

The Conservatives are in Government. Do you feel better insulting our intelligence?

Better looked down upon by "Canada's Natural Governing Party" and being in power by my measure.

Edited January 11, 2008 by Michael Bluth

[Visionseeker]

And appoint them, rather than subject them to nomination battles: Dhalla, Beatty, Hall Findlay and so on and so on and so on.

Conservative candidates who fight the nomination battles and win are stronger politicians who don't dismiss the possibility of children being beaten. See Diane Ablonczy, Diane Findley, Bev Oda, Helena Guergis, etc. etc. etc.

The Conservatives are in Government. Do you feel better insulting our intelligence?

Better looked down upon by "Canada's Natural Governing Party" and being in power by my measure.

Yep, Just angry. How's that working for ya?