Thank you.
RESPONSE TO SPEAKER'S DISCUSSION PAPER
An important goal of the discussion paper was to spark public discussion on increasing the representation of women in the NWT Legislative Assembly and the provision of guaranteed seats as a temporary measure to help make this happen.
The discussion prompted by the creation of this committee has only begun, and committee strongly believes it is an important dialogue that needs to continue.
One prominent theme committee heard during public meetings was that conversations on how to increase representation of women are needed in communities and the Northwest Territories, and opportunities should be created for this discussion to continue:
"While we do face barriers, conversations like these start the knowledge sharing that can help to reduce some of the strains and barriers that may deter women from running for any position." (Natasha Kulikowski, Written Submission, 11 April 2019)
Discussing Gender Quotas
There are three main gender quota models in use in other jurisdictions. Two of these, electoral candidate quotas and political party quotas, are reliant upon a party-based political system. The third involves the provision of guaranteed seats. Each of these models intervenes at a different point in the electoral process.
Electoral candidate quotas are a mechanism by which political parties are required to bring a predetermined proportion of female-to-male candidates forward for elections. This model is found to be most effective if it mandates a minimum threshold of 30 percent of women candidates per list. Electoral candidate quotas are often accompanied by sanctions against parties for non-compliance. (Rosen 2017)
Gender quotas are a mechanism to regulate that a percentage of those elected must be women. A quota can also apply to both sexes. In Slovenia, for example, 40 percent of either sex candidates must be included in any list of candidates. Prior to this legal gender quota, women's representation at the national level varied between 14 to 25 percent. (Gaber 2019)
In Canada, the federal Standing Committee on the Status of Women encouraged registered parties to "set voluntary quotas for the percentage of female candidates they field in federal elections and to publicly report on their efforts to meet these quotas after every federal general election." (April 2019 Report).
This model cannot be implemented under the current territorial political system, where candidates run as independents and there are no political parties. Without political parties, there are no party candidate lists, and it is unclear who would bring sanctions and to whom they would be applied if not enough women candidates come forward.
"Absent political parties or proportional representation, the NWT Legislative Assembly has limited structural means to influence the number of women candidates who run in a given election." (Office of the Speaker of the NWT Legislative Assembly, 2018).
A study comparing quota models in 160 countries concluded gender quota legislation is a practical point of departure for those looking to increase women's political representation, but implementation shows significant differences across countries, in quota design and outcomes.
The complexity that exists in the interplay between electoral systems, socioeconomic development status, and the presence of conflict in a country, makes it difficult to predict results for any country based on specific quota models alone (Rosen 2017).
Recent research compared women's combined legislative representation in countries without gender quotas to those with quotas. We find that the representation of women in legislatures with gender quotas is approximately ten percent higher than in countries without quotas (Hughes and Paxton 2019).
Through its research, committee found that quotas have the potential to substantially increase women's representation in national legislatures. In the studies consulted, researchers also agree that quotas, including guaranteed seats, can be a "fast track" to increase women's political representation.
Discussing Measures Increasing the Representation of Women
Committee heard that the discussion paper is a "'wonderful and good first step in efforts to increase the representation of women in the NWT Legislative Assembly" (Wendy Bisaro).
"I cannot stress strongly enough how much I believe greater representation of women in the NWT Assembly is needed. A woman's perspective on just about anything is different from a man's view on the same thing. It is not better or worse, just different." (Wendy Bisaro, Written Submission, 15 February 2019)
Committee was told that the perspective of approximately 50 percent of the NWT's population is missing because women are not adequately represented in the Legislative Assembly. We heard that this absence of the female perspective affects the whole of the population, because those elected are making laws and policies for all residents of the NWT.
The discussion paper offers a proposal on how the NWT Legislative Assembly could reach its goals of 20 and 30 percent women Members by 2023 and 2027, respectively, by applying a system adopted in Samoa, which provides a constitutional guarantee of a minimum of five seats for women.
Committee was often asked why the goal of 30 percent women by 2027 was not set at 50 percent. Some respondents asked that, instead of using special measures, the electoral system be changed to guarantee women 50 percent of the seats, without a time limit. Committee heard that this proposal for temporary special measures does not go far enough and should strive for true gender balance.
"In particular, the Council would like to see the Legislative Assembly fully explore a Gender-Equal Legislative Assembly as this model is consistent with gender equality and involves a democratic process: female and male candidates are voted for by their constituents and one female and one male candidate are elected to the Legislative Assembly per district" (Status of Women Council of the NWT, Written Submission, 3 May 2019)
Twenty years ago, before the creation of Nunavut in 1999, an appointed implementation commission proposed a two-member constituency model for the new territory, recommending a gender-equal Legislative Assembly. A man and a woman would be elected by all voters in each district. The proposal was put to a non-binding public vote in May 1997, resulting in 57 percent of ballots against the idea. Had the system been implemented, Nunavut's Assembly would have been the world's first gender-equal, democratically-elected legislature. Currently, six of 22 Members (27 percent) of Nunavut's Legislative Assembly are women.
During public meetings, we also heard that the temporary measures should in fact ask for 90 percent of guaranteed seats for women for the next 36 years to balance out the inequity of the past, ensuring that 90 percent of legislators are women.
Committee heard a proposal for a system that would guarantee five seats at large for women to join the legislature without having a riding, in addition to the existing riding-based electoral system. Some had reservations about this proposal and stressed that it would put women into an unfair position, having to campaign NWT-wide and having to pay higher campaign costs compared to men who would run for election in local ridings. Given that raising campaign funds is already identified as a barrier to women running, this model was seen as double disadvantage for women.
Committee heard from participants that several countries have established guaranteed seats and that the committee should look to models other than Samoa's before settling on a model.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn this report over to the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Thank you.