What it measures
Dimension: Leadership
This indicator measures the extent to which women are fairly and equally represented in Federal Parliament. The percentage has slowly increased during the past 20 years from just 20.3% in 1994 to 25.7% in 2014. In 2015, under the leadership of newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canadians were presented with the first gender-balanced Federal cabinet in Canadian history.
Why this matters
Men and women are equally represented in the population and, as such, should be equally represented in the democratic decision-making process. Equal representation creates conditions for issues to be raised and addressed that effect quality of life for both men and women. It also allows all Canadians to see themselves adequately reflected in the House of Commons, which encourages further participation by women in the political process – a group that is traditionally under-represented.