Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
The Existence of Sexism in Canadian Politics – May 2021
An Informative Report Written by Candidate # ________
~ 2320 words
Mitchel Meharchand
Global Politics 2020-2021
Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
Grade 12 – CLN4U
SECTION A: JUSTIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION
The issue of sexism is not new, people across the globe have been facing sexist obstacles for
over 200 years. This report will unpack how sexism is influencing Canadian Politics on both municipal,
and federal grounds. Through discussions with Ottawa Ward representatives Matthew Luloff, Rawlson
King, and Mona Fortier along with surveys conducted on a wide variety of people, I am looking to gain a
better understanding of how sexism could be influencing the lives of citizens and politicians in Canada. I
chose to focus on the city of Ottawa, Canadas’s capital for my primary research and I expanded my
boundaries federally when conducting my secondary research. I chose to research this topic as I have
strong political aspirations and I would like to better understand the industry I will be working in.
Throughout the interviewing process the politicians I spoke with frequently spoke about time as
a solution. To elaborate, as time passes, and new generations enter politics, discriminatory beliefs and
values will be scarce and the industry will in turn be more welcoming.
My research led me connect this issue with course concepts such as Power, Sovereignty,
Patriarchy and Development; of which can be broken down into more acute concepts including
inequality, legitimacy, and justice. Popular sexist mindsets throughout society have created gender
close-minded people and have lessened career opportunities for females – ultimately decreasing the
number of politically aspired youth and creating a seemingly unwelcoming workspace.
SECTION B: EXPLANATION OF THE ENGAGEMENT
The research process of this report allowed me to interview experienced politicians about their
views on sexisms presence in their workplace. On November 13th, 2020 I spoke with Ward 1 electoral
Matthew Luloff. When asked what obstacles he met when trying to enter Canadian Politics, Matthew
stated that the only obstacle he met was the difficulty of learning new content. At the time at which Mr.
Luloff began his career, patriarchy was more prominent in society. Matthew explained that to some
extent, although society has come so far through providing new opportunities and equalities, that men
are more confident with themselves. This can apply to opinions, decision making, and achieving goals.
Given what the Canadian workforce is made up primarily of men, that sense of competition was nothing
new to males which is why they tended to be more confident. These statements were the first of many
from all interviewed politicians that put a portion of the blame on females lack of confidence.
This relates to another one of our course concepts, legitimacy1. Can society rely on the decisions
being made in politics if there is no diversity of opinions? – and diversity is particularly important for
growth. Matthew believes that the political system is quite balanced when it comes to gender
discrimination. Change relies on society, rid the negative views that the older generations hold within
our country. Matthew went on to address difference of opportunity, he stated that, the occupations
offered to men are identically offered to women, same goes for salary and hours etc. Matthew believes
1
In political science, legitimacy is the right and acceptance of an authority, usually a governing law or a regime.
Whereas authority denotes a specific position in an established government, the term legitimacy denotes a system
of government—wherein government denotes "sphere of influence".
Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
there is no institutional sexism written on paper or that structurally exists within the political system,
however that does not deny the opinions and viewpoints that many politicians hold. Additionally, a
negative backlash towards a female politician is the fault of society. Although Matthew did add that
sexism exists within the political system, he stated that some areas in Canada have predisposed views
where male candidates are clearly favored over female. “In certain generations there seems to be a
predisposition to vote for male candidates.” said Matthew. These statements indicate a level of closemindedness and an element of shifting blame once again. This interview introduced the argument that
sexism is an issue that relies on society to solve through the changing of perspectives and values. There
is no legislation or law that could be imposed to create equality. Time and forward-thinking politicians
are the most efficient and inclusive solutions.
In an interview with house representative Rawlson King, he revealed time will resolve the issue
and stated that a lack of confidence has the largest effect on female involvement in politics. Rawlson
understands that time and generations are not the only components playing a part in the lack of
confidence amongst females. The reoccurring theme of gender discrimination and spiting, affects the
confidence among women. This comment relates to the concept of inequality2, if society believes that
the political spectrum is inherently sexist, confidence will be scarce and therefore there will be an
illusion of inequality for both current and aspiring politicians. Forward thinking politicians of all genders
appointing representatives of minority groups is a highly effective way to inflict confidence amongst
youth. Rawlson spoke of the somewhat recent GBV (Gender Based Violence) policy which has greatly
influenced political decisions and given those without one, a louder voice. Rawlson and I concluded that
no matter the amount of encouragement put out by the Canadian government, each act of sexism in the
news ruins morale and stunts growth – change the policies to change people’s minds.
Additionally, I conducted a survey on a relatively small group of young adults. The results were
as predicted and if one were to repeat this survey, with 60 voters, it would be more efficient and
statistically effective if it were done on a much larger scale and if it were split by gender. However,
conclusions can still be drawn from the data; the prevalence of sexism in the lives of todays youth is
undisputed, just under half of voters had been personally affected by sexism. The major fear of
politicians and gender activists is that sexism is deterring people from making any sort of decision
regarding personal life and or their occupation. This insignificant data shows that the majority of those
surveyed do not take sexism into account when making life decisions. It should be noted that the results
are dubious given a portion of those surveyed do not stay up to date with Canadian Politics.
In my final interview with female Minister of Finance Ms. Mona Fortier, I learned much more
about the steps politicians have taken in recent years to make politics a more inclusive and welcoming
space. Given that a lack of confidence is holding aspiring politicians back from entering politics it was
important to know that politicians are not conceding that time will resolve the issue. Mona Fortier made
clear to me that political diversity is an issue as well, disagreements open up discussions and expose
lesser spoken about issues, which is why a racially and sexually diverse House of Commons would be
more beneficial to society. However, a legal policy ensuring diversity could be damaging. Mona Fortier
revealed that forward thinking politicians are the key. Politicians’ impunity to bypass qualifications when
appointing politicians sets society back further, hearing the same political views and opinions does not
2
Inequality is growing for more than 70 per cent of the global population, exacerbating the risks of divisions and
hampering economic and social development.
Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
create an inclusive space. Ms. Fortier spoke highly of NGOs such as EqualVoice3, and Daughters of the
Vote4. This information ensured that change is being made and that the issue is not being overlooked,
relying on time to resolve it. Mona Fortier also spoke up about her experiences as a female and the
obstacles she has faced in her decades of work. Mona stated that statistically when fundraising for a
campaign, males have much less difficulty finding capital – the money used for campaigning comes from
donations from society. A lack of donations may illustrate societies lack of confidence, based solely on
gender – as well, although men and women have the same opportunities available, men are actively
offered ones of which females are not. Fortier also found that balancing being a mother and a politician
is difficult. Men are not offered maternity leave, which creates the predicament of a female wanting
their voice to be heard and needing to serve her family. Mona believes that regardless of the NGO’s and
GBA+5 Policy, more should be done to make the Cabinet Room more welcoming.
SECTION C: ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE
Institutional sexism may exist within the Political System in Canada and as a result less females
are involved in politics6. Trudeau’s decision to create a gender equal parliament in 2015 gave women
the confidence to speak up about their prospects and desires for the industry they work in, this was
quite a polarizing decision. No matter the workplace, people of all demographics should feel
comfortable speaking up about their beliefs and values. The truth is, sexist acts in the workplace happen
daily, it is unfortunate that only a small number of these acts are accounted for. Arguably, certain sexist
statements or treatments have been normalized so females deem it unnecessary. There is also a risk of
public and private shame if females speak out on a personal experience, in late 2019 MP Rick Chiarelli
was accused of pressuring a female politician to “go braless” during an interview. The woman filed a
formal complaint with Ottawa’s Integrity Commissioner, and she was met with public hate for reasons
including “being too sensitive”, not being “built for politics”, and for being “a snitch”. In another case of
sexism in 2020, Liberal MP Nicola DiIorio allegedly said "Where's your pole to slide down on?" to Dianne
Watts which was wildly inappropriate. The conservatives were pushing Justin Trudeau to respond, and
he replied with “One of the things that we brought in a number of years ago around issues such as this,
as a part of my commitment to gender equality, to a harassment-free workplace, is ... an actual process
that will be there to deal with issues of this sort." All the effort put in by political individuals and society
as a whole to uplift females and encourage them to be more confident, is shut down by these news
stories that headline across the nation.
The issue of sexism in politics does not put the responsibility on politicians to make judicial
changes, progression in this issue relies on the acceptance of society. For example, Bonnie Henry, the
provincial health officer of British Columbia was trumped by the media in response to her Covid
precautions and recommendations, “There are many people who don’t like what I do — and feel quite
able to send me nasty notes, leave phone calls, to harass my office staff,” said Bonnie Henry in the fight
3
EqualVoice was created to encourage Canadian youth to speak up about their passions and opinions.
Daughters of the Vote is an annual event where each Ward representative will appoint a young female to
represent them in the House of Commons.
5
GBA+ (Gender Based Analysis Plus) is an analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men,
and gender diverse people may experience policies, programs, and initiatives.
6
https://www.newwavezine.com/post/canadian-female-politicians-speak-out-about-sexism-in-politics\
4
Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
against COVID-19 in this province. “I’ve had to have security in my house. I have had death threats. How
do we deal with that?” This story exemplifies the fact that no matter the logistical progression, society
will always contradict in a harmful way – case in point change should rely primarily on society and the
education of society.
The next concept I would like to touch on is patriarchy and the role it plays in society and
sexism. The majority of Canadian politicians are still male, the majority of aspiring politicians are also
male. In 2018, a nationwide survey was conducted, the topic being desired involvement in politics
separated by gender. The results of the first examination showed that 85% of females in High School
and University who are interested in politics, feel they are unqualified to run7. Continuing, some may
argue that exposure to politics plays a large role in understanding qualifications and confidence, the
survey concluded that 67% of those females discussed politics at home and or in the classroom weekly.
Other studies stated that 60% of men see being a politician as a career path whereas 63% of females do
not. When asked What is the most effective way to cause change within a community? 30% of men
answered, “Run for office” whereas only 12% of females chose that option, the majority of females
chose to “Get involved in charity work within the community”. In another statistic, studies showed that
in every circumstance, male political figures were more frequently encouraged to run for office by
political and non-political actors. This study exemplifies the separation by gender within and on the
topic of politics, these results should give current politicians a better idea of how to make change.8
SECTION D: SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION
Instances like Bonnie Henry’s and Dianna Watts give females reasons to be fearful of entering
politics. As a society, citizens of all race, gender and sexuality should be much more confident in others
support as well as ourselves. One of the first steps a community can take is pointing out what is wrong,
but also commending what is right. The argument that Matthew alluded to was that “change in societal
views will come with time” and although waiting for change to come could solve the issue, there are a
number of other options to make life better now for those minoritized females rather than later.
Interviews with Matthew Luloff and Rawlson King did not bring any huge revelations to the table,
however, the information and advice outlined by them supports the objective Justin Trudeau is trying to
achieve.
Shortly after the 50-50 cabinet split, Trudeau opened new opportunities for criticism when
despite the male-female cabinet, for instance, his party didn’t support the Gender Equity Act, a 2016
private member’s bill introduced by then NDP MP Kennedy Stewart to ensure greater parity. The bill,
which proposed to financially penalize parties with a 10 per cent or more split between male and female
candidates, didn’t pass. Catherine McKenna, minister of the environment, has faced sexist garbage for
years—from being dubbed “climate Barbie” to threats so serious she needed a security detail. She’s not
alone. Pernicious attacks on female politicians of all political stripes—in Canada, in Australia, and the
U.S. —are now so common that it’s debated whether Western politics, a bedrock of democracy, is
7
8
https://www.american.edu/spa/wpi/upload/girls-just-wanna-not-run_policy-report.pdf
https://www.american.edu/spa/wpi/upload/girls-just-wanna-not-run_policy-report.pdf
Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
“toxic” for women. Recent reports indicate female politicians are “standing down” in Britain in response
to “horrific abuse.”
Although all my interviewees agreed that time will play a large role in resolving the issue, that
does not dispute the fact that changes similar to Justin Trudeaus 50-50 Split and the creation of
EqualVoice must continue to happen frequently for societal change to eventually come.
Subsequently, clear conclusions can be drawn regarding the presence of sexism in Canadian
politics. It effects the mental health of females uninvolved, inflicts fear in the youth of today, and
diminishes confidence amongst aspiring politicians of all genders. It is an issue that can be treated but
not solved, the responsibility lies on education and realization throughout society as well as politicians
taking a stronger stand against the issue, no politician should be scared to voice their opinion on a black
and white issue as such. Awaiting change, the time will soon arrive when both males and females not
only are equal in our society but feel equal in their own workplace.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Anne Kingston November 5, 2019. “The 2019 Election Revealed That Sexism Is Status Quo.”
Macleans.ca, 5 Nov. 2019, www.macleans.ca/opinion/the-2019-election-revealed-that-sexism-is-statusquo/.
“Daily Acts of Sexism Go Unnoticed by Men, Women.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 14 June 2011,
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613122519.htm.
Mitchel Meharchand 2021 IB Global Politics IA
Fox, Laura. “We Should Be Ashamed of the Sexism Surrounding the Murder of Shanann Watts.”
Medium, Fearless She Wrote, 13 Oct. 2020, medium.com/fearless-she-wrote/we-should-be-ashamedof-the-sexism-surrounding-the-murder-of-shanann-watts-904bc0fc0ef9.
New Wave Magazine. “Canadian Female Politicians Speak Out About Sexism in Politics.” New Wave
Magazine, New Wave Magazine, 11 Oct. 2019, www.newwavezine.com/post/canadian-femalepoliticians-speak-out-about-sexism-in-politics.
Staff, EasyBib. “Https://Www.macleans.ca/Opinion/the-2019-Election-Revealed-That-Sexism-Is-StatusQuo/ | MLA8.” EasyBib, Chegg, 1 Jan. 2020, www.easybib.com/mla8/websitecitation/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macleans.ca%2Fopinion%2Fthe-2019-election-revealed-thatsexism-is-status-quo%2F.
Staff, EasyBib. “Https://Www.newwavezine.com/Post/Canadian-Female-Politicians-Speak-out-aboutSexism-in-Politics | MLA8.” EasyBib, Chegg, 1 Jan. 2020, www.easybib.com/mla8/websitecitation/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newwavezine.com%2Fpost%2Fcanadian-female-politiciansspeak-out-about-sexism-in-politics.
5th,: ELLE Canada- Mar, et al. “Prominent Women in Public Office Say That Systemic Sexism Needs a
Political Shakedown.” Elle Canada, www.ellecanada.com/culture/society/prominent-women-in-publicoffice-say-that-systemic-sexism-needs-a-political-shakedown.
IB Global Politics Textbook
Rachel Giese Updated December 16, 2016. “Canadian Politics Are Sexist. What Are Men Going to Do
about It?” Chatelaine, 16 Dec. 2016, www.chatelaine.com/living/canadian-politics-sexist/.