Sask. hits milestone with more than 30% of projected MLAs being women
CBC
Saskatchewan has hit a big milestone after Monday's provincial election. Women are projected to make up more than 30 per cent of the Legislature.
Equal Voice, a charity dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics, says the 2024 election marks a transformative moment for Saskatchewan, especially since the progress toward gender equity in the province's politics has been gradual.
The Saskatchewan NDP tell CBC that 48 per cent of its projected winners are women and Equal Voice said 24 per cent of the Sask. Party's projected winners are women.
"One of the things that's really exciting for us is that the Saskatchewan legislature has tipped over what we call critical mass," said Chi Nguyen, executive director of Equal Voice.
"The critical mass concept means if you have one or two out of 50 people, those one or two people might feel really tokenised in their experience. And so what happens when you the hit critical mass, that 30 per cent, is that the culture can start to shift and evolve and change."
Nguyen calls this climb in representation an "important milestone."
The charity is aiming for 50 per cent women and gender diverse representation across all provinces.
Brittney Senger, a non-profit organizer who has previously worked at Equal Voice, is the projected winner of the Saskatoon Southeast constituency.
Senger said that when she was contemplating running for MLA, one of the deciding factors was that she needed a leader and party she could get behind.
"I saw the work that the women from the NDP caucus were doing in the Legislature. And that was one of the things that really motivated me," said Senger.
She said she saw strong women that have "fought hard " to make life better for people, and women in particular, across the province.
"Strong women that have brought their their babies into the Legislature, breast fed on the floor. I mean, this is incredible."
Senger said she was also inspired to run because of what she had seen Sask. NDP Leader Carla Beck do in politics.
"Having a leader that's a woman, but a strong, brilliant woman that's hard working that, you know, can offer insight and inspiration … it was such a motivation."
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