29 replies to this topic

[Bernard]

The old Saanich South has flipped back and forth between left and right and rarely been won by a large margin. Sitting MLA David Cubberly is not running for the NDP again.

Robin Adair is the Liberal candidate and it looks like Lana Popham will be running for the NDP.

The boundary changes have make the riding less NDP friendly by taking out the Tillicum Gorge neighbourhood and the Swan Lake area.

[Lana Popham]

I will be acclaimed on March 8th as the Saanich South NDP Candidate.
www.lanapopham.ca

[VicHockeyFan]

I will be acclaimed on March 8th as the Saanich South NDP Candidate.
www.lanapopham.ca

Yes, and made a bit easier by the fact no males were allowed to run.

[Caramia]

Best of luck Lana!

[Lana Popham]

Yes, it is true: I will be the New Democratic Candidate for Saanich South in the next Provincial Election!

The nomination meeting is on Sunday, March the 8th, 10 am – 12 pm, at the Royal Oak Women's Institute Hall, 4516 West Saanich Rd., Saanich, B.C.

Please come! I need your support and it will be a fun morning. Highlights include a speech by Carole James, Leader of the BC New Democrats. (You don't need to live in the riding to attend.)

You can get a map to the Hall by clicking here.

[rjag]

Yes, and made a bit easier by the fact no males were allowed to run.

So by being acclaimed does this mean that no-one else was interested in the job? Whatever happened to the best person for the job based on credentials and experience, not this gender and race crap.

looks like social engineering, this has all the ingredients of it.

Good luck though, nothing against you just the ndp and their rose tinted glasses.

Never voted for them, but I cant believe I'm saying this, but I miss Joy McPhail, what an effective member of the opposition

[Lana Popham]

So by being acclaimed does this mean that no-one else was interested in the job? Whatever happened to the best person for the job based on credentials and experience, not this gender and race crap.

Best person for the job - Check!
Based on credentials - Check!
And experience - Check!

[Bernard]

Best person for the job - Check!
Based on credentials - Check!
And experience - Check!

But would not have been better to have been in a fully open field? Did you need the party to reserve the seat for women?

My fear from the start with the NDP plan was that it would handicap the strong female candidates by tainting them in the general public's mind as not being capable enough to win the nomination otherwise.

There is a big issue that no one is really addressing, why are do fewer women than men get involved with politics? For local elections there are still more men running than women. It is a rare local council that is more female than male. Political party riding association executives are still mainly men no matter where on the political spectrum you are.

Is there a systemic issue why women are not as likely to run as men?

[Lana Popham]

Good question Bernard. Why are fewer woman than men involved in politics? The answer is found when you look back in history...... Men could vote before woman. Traditionally politics has been a profession dominated by men.

Even today there is not an equal representation. There has been numerous studies done about the factors that keep woman away. They range from social to economic. The list is long and it is a study in human behavior.

This one time policy that the BC NDP is offering, allows a chance for woman to get involved, by actively supporting them.

Some of the comments above imply that because only woman candidates are being supported in some ridings, the quality of the candidate is inferior. That type of attitude about women illustrates that we might just need this policy this time.......

You can talk about woman getting involved until the cows come home, but this policy is actually doing something about it. It will be interesting to see the outcome after May 12th.

On a personal note: I have wonderful mentors in politics. Both men and woman........

[rjag]

Good luck to you, even if it doesnt work out at least you have the guts to go for it, for which I tip my hat to you (but that may be perceived as chauvinist in our politically correct world)

On a personal note: I have wonderful mentors in politics. Both men and woman........

Lets hope they sit on both sides of the floor

Some of the comments above imply that because only woman candidates are being supported in some ridings, the quality of the candidate is inferior.

Absolutely, thats why its important to encourage women (and minorities) into politics while keeping a balanced approach to the selection process (sounds like the current process is reverse discrimination). Anyway, it doesnt matter what the Libs or the Ndp think, its the voter that will decide upon the quality of the candidate.

[Bernard]

Good question Bernard. Why are fewer woman than men involved in politics? The answer is found when you look back in history...... Men could vote before woman. Traditionally politics has been a profession dominated by men.

Even today there is not an equal representation. There has been numerous studies done about the factors that keep woman away. They range from social to economic. The list is long and it is a study in human behavior.

This one time policy that the BC NDP is offering, allows a chance for woman to get involved, by actively supporting them.

Some of the comments above imply that because only woman candidates are being supported in some ridings, the quality of the candidate is inferior. That type of attitude about women illustrates that we might just need this policy this time.......

You can talk about woman getting involved until the cows come home, but this policy is actually doing something about it. It will be interesting to see the outcome after May 12th.

On a personal note: I have wonderful mentors in politics. Both men and woman........

Some more observations:

I have spent a long reading about the issue of women in politics and trying to understand why representation is still not equal among the genders. It does not seem to be an issue of political orientation once one moves away from right wing parties - and in BC the Liberals are not a right wing party, they are a centre right party. People on the left may disagree, but no trying to link Campbell to Harper will ever make Campbell a Conservative or his government closer to the CPC than the federal Liberals.

In BC the Liberals did much better than NDP in attracting women to run in 2005, but nearly well enough in any case. The Liberals do not have the NDP policy, but do seem to get women to run. Specifically NDP women had problems in any contested nomination race in a winnable riding in 2005 - I have no idea what was going on and I can understand that it was very embarrassing to the NDP to have strong women candidates lose nomination races.

As of this point the NDP is leading the Liberals with respect to female candidates, but not by a lot. I suspect there will be 20 women elected on May 12th, 11 Liberals and 9 New Democrats. That is still far short of 43 that I should statistically end up at.

The NDP policy, as it is written, has the unintended consequence of meaning women are more likely to be running in a riding the NDP can not win than in one they will win.

All the formal systemic barriers to women have been removed for over a generation now, how long does the shadow of these barriers to recede?

The economic barrier might make sense on the centre right as a barrier, but it has not been a barrier within the NDP, yet the lack of that barrier has not made a difference.

The social barrier is one that should not formally exist, but politics tends towards being a bloodsport and
The only significant barrier I can see is an odd one, the lack of women lawyers. The number of politicians that train as lawyers is incredibly high, but most people in law schools are still men. The profession most likely to lead you into politics is still dominated by men.

In the last election 49 lawyers were elected as MPs, 44 of them men and 5 women. That is 10% of lawyers elected being women. Overall 22% of the MPs are women. 16% of MPs are lawyers.

You factor out the lawyers and female representation rises to 25% federally.

I do not know what percentage of Canadians are lawyers, but it is less than 0.5% of Canadians. I also do not know how the profession splits between men and women, but there do seem to be more men.

There is a set of men that want to become MPs or MLAs and study law as their stepping stone to politics, it is set of people seeking politics as a career path that seems to be almost exclusively men.

Maybe the answer is to restrict lawyers from running for office?

I guess this is a long way of saying that the choice of professions may strongly impact who is likely to go into politics and that this is where the under representation of women comes from. In 2008 only 27 teachers were elected as MPs even though there are many times more teachers than lawyers.

There is not a single current MP in Canada that was a retail sales person even though this is the most common job in Canada now. 12% of the working population is in retail trade.

[Lana Popham]

Hmmm...very interesting. I wonder how many politicians are farmers?
I have to say that I didn't know about the policy when I decided to run.

I know I have a contribution to make.....and I am qualified.....and I want to get elected...but the people of Saanich South will have the final say on that one.

[Holden West]

I do not know what percentage of Canadians are lawyers, but it is less than 0.5% of Canadians. I also do not know how the profession splits between men and women, but there do seem to be more men.

Today, 59 per cent of Canadian undergrads are women. Almost every faculty and school has undergone a sex change - including the social sciences (68 per cent female) and English (83 per cent female). Professional programs are moving in the same direction. Med school grads? 59 per cent women. Law school? 53 per cent. Newly chartered accountants? 51 per cent.

cite

I'm not a fan of affirmative action for women. I feel it sends the wrong message--that women will forever need a helping hand. I think it's better to educate girls and women about different career opportunities. Still, as it's been pointed out, politics is a blood sport and it may be that this career will always appeal more to the male personality.

Sorry for taking this off topic.

I'm sure Lana will make a worthy candidate.

[glenalan54]

I have voted NDP since 1972 and have worked for the party in five Provincial elections as well as a number of Federal elections.
I cannot and do not support the resolution passed by the Party that does not allow all qualified persons to have a chance to represent each and every riding in BC. The thought of turning down a qualified candidate due to his or her sex is repulsive.

Yes you are the candidate for Saanich South Lana, but don't tell me and hundreds of other unhappy potential NDP voters, that the process was democratic when only women could vye for a chance to represent Sannich South. How is this any worse than the bad old days when women could not vote, or when there were little or no women candidates. The answer is not to artifically get the numbers up for Women in the Legislature by manipulation and alienating half the population.

The best person should represent the riding. If I knew there was a level playing field where every potential candidate had a fair chance then I would most likely have voted for you.
But for the first time in my 37 years voting the NDP have lost my vote and will continue to lose my vote until this damaging and unfair practice is discontinued.

[glenalan54]

Glen Mofford

[Bernard]

Brian Gordon is the candidate for the Greens

[Bernard]

Election Prediction Project page for Saanich South

[Lover Fighter]

This is the riding I'm most excited to see the results of.
I'm happy with both Popham's and Adair's platforms, so I won't be disappointed either way.

[Phil McAvity]

Some more observations:

I have spent a long reading about the issue of women in politics and trying to understand why representation is still not equal among the genders. It does not seem to be an issue of political orientation once one moves away from right wing parties - and in BC the Liberals are not a right wing party, they are a centre right party. People on the left may disagree, but no trying to link Campbell to Harper will ever make Campbell a Conservative or his government closer to the CPC than the federal Liberals.

In BC the Liberals did much better than NDP in attracting women to run in 2005, but nearly well enough in any case. The Liberals do not have the NDP policy, but do seem to get women to run. Specifically NDP women had problems in any contested nomination race in a winnable riding in 2005 - I have no idea what was going on and I can understand that it was very embarrassing to the NDP to have strong women candidates lose nomination races.

As of this point the NDP is leading the Liberals with respect to female candidates, but not by a lot. I suspect there will be 20 women elected on May 12th, 11 Liberals and 9 New Democrats. That is still far short of 43 that I should statistically end up at.

The NDP policy, as it is written, has the unintended consequence of meaning women are more likely to be running in a riding the NDP can not win than in one they will win.

All the formal systemic barriers to women have been removed for over a generation now, how long does the shadow of these barriers to recede?

The economic barrier might make sense on the centre right as a barrier, but it has not been a barrier within the NDP, yet the lack of that barrier has not made a difference.

The social barrier is one that should not formally exist, but politics tends towards being a bloodsport and
The only significant barrier I can see is an odd one, the lack of women lawyers. The number of politicians that train as lawyers is incredibly high, but most people in law schools are still men. The profession most likely to lead you into politics is still dominated by men.

In the last election 49 lawyers were elected as MPs, 44 of them men and 5 women. That is 10% of lawyers elected being women. Overall 22% of the MPs are women. 16% of MPs are lawyers.

You factor out the lawyers and female representation rises to 25% federally.

I do not know what percentage of Canadians are lawyers, but it is less than 0.5% of Canadians. I also do not know how the profession splits between men and women, but there do seem to be more men.

There is a set of men that want to become MPs or MLAs and study law as their stepping stone to politics, it is set of people seeking politics as a career path that seems to be almost exclusively men.

Maybe the answer is to restrict lawyers from running for office?

I guess this is a long way of saying that the choice of professions may strongly impact who is likely to go into politics and that this is where the under representation of women comes from. In 2008 only 27 teachers were elected as MPs even though there are many times more teachers than lawyers.

There is not a single current MP in Canada that was a retail sales person even though this is the most common job in Canada now. 12% of the working population is in retail trade.

Or it could just be that women and are far more likely to stay home raising their kids which precludes a career in politics.

glenalan54, I liked what you said and couldn't agree more and i've never voted NDP. Obviously neither Lana nor Carole James care about what's fair or right though. Unfortunately it looks like Lana took the riding which was disappointing, I was really hoping Robin Adair was going to win, he's a bright, energetic, hard-working guy. blah.

[Caramia]

Heh, I can't say I agree with all of Lana's politics but at least she is a VV'er. That makes me part of her constituency - the online tribe that hasn't got a riding of it's own yet.