General Politics Discussion

[Pheidippides]

Of the 124 ridings in Ontario, 49 will be represented by women (39.5% the highest of any provincial legislature in the country).
4 of 7 Liberal MPPs are women (57.1%)
20 of 40 NDP MPPs are women (50.0%)
25 of 76 PC MPPs are women (32.9%) 

The Ontario population is essentially 51%/49% women/men until you hit the older age groups.

As of the 2016 census Ontario, 30% of respondents identified as visible minorities.

7 of 20 appoint cabinet members are women (35.0%) which is higher than the proportion of female PC MPPs elected (32.9%), but lower than the proportion of female MPPs elected overall (39.5%).

I'd have no problem with the make-up of the cabinet if the MPPs and legislature actually made an honest attempt to understand issues from multiple perspectives and try and represent all of the people in their ridings, but I don't believe that will be the case and sometimes you can't even identify something as a "problem" unless you can experience an issue firsthand from a particular perspective. Lack of perspectives creates blindspots in policy and legislation that are only amplified by base ideology; not a good combination.

I said on another thread today that, privilege is invisible to those who have it. Some problems cannot truly be understood, let alone solved, unless you have that awareness and perspective brought to your attention. There is a lack of perspective in the cabinet. That is only ok if it is acknowledged and worked at hard to overcome; I don't see either happening.

This is a political machine that sweats the details about its image, down to limiting media availability of its leader and members. So to think that the make-up of the cabinet was simply an over-sight or some sort of coincidence is hard to believe. It was designed to send a message to its core supporters.

Guess do we need to believe in equal outcome for this to happen, rather than equal opportunity?

No, we need to believe in equitable opportunity, not equal.
   

so 40% out of the 20 spots are women/visible minorities(sic).

Why are you lumping these distinct and overlapping populations together? Would having 30% of cabinet visible minority and no women somehow make it ok?

I, however, prefer equal opportunity, give the job to the most qualified.

I mean, who, if starting a business, and needs 50 workers, and has 200 applicants, 175 from men and 25 from women, would higher 25 women and 25 men? No, they'd hire the most quailed, if their business is important to them. Same thing here, not enough female MPP's one.

The problem is that not everyone is starting from the same starting line. It is an unfair race from the start. How many potential candidates didn't even get a chance to get on the ballot for their respective parties because of existing biases that perpetuate and ensure older-straight-white-male dominance?