Where are the women?
June 5th, 2008 by AndrewThe announced retirement of Halifax MP Alexa McDonough from politics occurred Monday in the Lord Nelson. The century-old muscular Edwardian Hotel in Halifax where she started her career and celebrated many political victories was the home to her short goodbye. She told us on the air the next day that she retired when a dear friend died of cancer. It caused her to refocus. Life is short.
However, politically, life has been long for her: as a Federal leader for the NDP, as well as a Member of Parliament, and she has been nothing less than a trailblazer in that longevity.
The biggest moment in the last Federal election occurred when Peter Mackay told Alexa Macdonough to “Stick to her knitting” in response to her challenge of Peter winning his own riding. As an older person, and as a woman, it was McDonough marginalizing. If it was a guy, Peter would not have involved the word “knitting” — unless he was taking a swipe at the sexuality of Scott Brison. (If he had said that to Scott, Brison would’ve had a good laugh. In the past, Peter has referred to Scott Brison in the House of Commons as “Mr. Fancy Pants”).
And while both Peter Mackay and Scott Brison are good sports and solid public servants — gay or straight residing in the comfort of their gender dominance — the gender issue of Alexa McDonough is something not discussed, but ever present. Politics is a boys club still; but whether or not the partial success of Hillary Clinton and the life long work of Alexa McDonough will translate into encouragement/activism for other women remains to be seen.
Yet, more and more women are graduating ahead of men. This gender disparity is especially true in United States. It still does not mean real power because we won’t let them into the halls of power in adequate numbers. Men are in denial about this.
In Ontario politics in the 1990s, Lyn McLeod was the Liberal leader who was eclipsed by the Mike Harris “Common Sense” Conservative revolution because she was a woman. Had the Liberals positioned a man as leader many feel the outcome would have been different. Harris was behind in the polls significantly at the outset. McLeod’s gender caught up with her.
Kim Campbell, who was PM for 15 minutes suffered from the disease of Mulroneyitis and was devastated in the Jean Chrétien landslide with her party reduced to two seats.
In Nova Scotia recently, Diana Whalen had a good shot as Liberal leader but was eclipsed by Stephen McNeil.
Sheila Copps was Deputy PM and for her public service received scads of hate mail because she was considered “abrasive”. Yet, the public elected the street fighter from Shawinigan to 3 majorities. Jean Chrétien’s abrasiveness was considered a needed strength against the separatist hordes.
Here’s the old canard: “it isn’t because she is a woman, it is because of her personality”.
It is politics. And in politics women, the few that there are, act like politicians.
And we don’t like them for it.
Afghanistan has more women in their government than we do here. Of course, we forced them to over there. Maybe we should try the point of a bayonet here too.
Gentlemen, of what are you afraid?