Women and Political Representation in Canada: Equality, Fairness, and Capabilities

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Women and Political Representation in Canada: Equality, Fairness, and Capabilities

I. Introduction

Social equality is the concept in which all individuals possess the same fundamental basic liberties, opportunities, moral value/respect, and social benefits. The concept of ‘equality’ has a multiplicity of meanings and definitions, and with the rise of liberalization and democratization around the world ‘social equality’ has become the most predominant. As economic openness creates greater wealth disparities, the parallel rise of democratization has enabled citizens to demand more accountability measures and public welfare services from their governments in order to manage such disparities. Although the movement towards greater social equality has made significant strides with the establishment of equal rights (especially in the 1960s following the civil rights and women rights movement), inequality is still widespread in society among different ethnicities, social classes, and even religions. Inequality is not, however, a characteristic that only encompasses/embodies developing countries, but also embodies developed countries as well.

Developed countries have often pride themselves as role models on issues of social equality to developing countries; however, gender, ethnic, and class disparity is prevalent in ‘wealthy’ countries. More importantly, it is implicit in that citizens believe that social equality exists, but in actuality disadvantaged individuals and groups still face several obstacles in reaching such equality. This paper will specifically focus on gender inequality in Canada. Canada is a country that has deemed itself as a progressive society due to its multicultural and hospitable character in which legislati...

... middle of paper ...

...e Forge Press. pp. 3.

Mohan, S. et al. (2001). “Baseline Report: Women and Political Representation in India.” International Women’s Rights Action Watch: Asia Pacific (IWRAW). Retrieved on December 17th, 2011 from < http://www.iwraw-ap.org/aboutus/pdf/FPwomen_and_pol_pax.pdf>.

Trimble, L. & Arscott, J. (2003). Still Counting: Women in Politics Across Canada. Peterborough: Broadview Press. pp. 34

Ibid. 44

http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/world.htm

Brake, E. (2004). “Rawls and Feminism: What Should Feminists Make of Liberal Neutrality?” Journal of Moral Philosophy. 1(3). pp. 294.

Evans, E. (2009). “Can Liberalism ever be Feminist?” Journal of Liberal History. 62(1). pp.5

Berstein, R. (2007). “Racial Discrimination or Righting Past Wrongs?” in Justice: A Reader. 237-240. Ed. Sandel, M. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 237.

Trimble and Arscott 61

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