The victims of substantive representation: how women's interests influence the career paths of MPs in Canada (1997-2011)

Piercey, Susan (2011) The victims of substantive representation: how women's interests influence the career paths of MPs in Canada (1997-2011). Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Since 1997, Canada has entered into an interesting new phase of gender equality in Parliament. The prominence of this issue has now come and gone on the political agenda, regardless of the fact that women still only account for about a quarter of the seats within Parliament. Furthermore, when we look more closely at the careers of MPs, it becomes clear that as the prominence of the position in the House of commons increases (with more power, more prestige), we find fewer women, indicating that women are facing a post-election barrier that makes it more difficult for them to enter the highest ranks of power and prestige. -- This study builds on previous research on women in legislatures and analyzes the impact of committee membership on the opportunities offered to male and female Members of Parliament. It asks whether women who substantively represent women are less likely to receive positions of high status. It finds that in the period of 1997-2011, only one woman received one of the “pipeline” - or highest ranking - cabinet posts. Additionally, women who were prominent within their parties, and those that ran for the leadership, were less likely than the average female Member to be involved in “women’s interests” or the committee work related to the Status of Women. Substantively representing women, therefore, does seem to have an impact on the eventual success of these politicians and may help to explain why women are still not frequently found in high status cabinet positions - positions that almost entirely exclusive to males.

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