Politics without the politics.
That’s the goal of a Calgary-based national campaign, called Canada Powered by Women, to open up the door to political conversations for women.
It’s spearheaded by Dr. Lucy Miller, former president and CEO of United Way of Calgary and area and she said women need to be a bigger part of the political conversation during the current federal election.
“In order to generate good public policy, we owe it to one another to ask important questions and share knowledge,” Miller said in a prepared release.
“Through this campaign, women from all parts of Canada can come together and talk politics in a way that is informative, non-confrontational, and fun. In the process, we can help women make voting decisions that align with their values.”
They’re hoping to build an online community that brings together information from national experts and provide data that improves the understanding of major issues in the election.
Panel study on women and election issues
A national study by Leger that accompanied Monday’s launch showed that just less than one-third (28 per cent) of female respondents felt fully informed on national issues and another third (34 per cent) said that the conversations on issues are polarized and don’t reflect what they believe.
“When politics gets polarized, the middle majority often stay silent. By encouraging more women to engage in conversations that matter and find common ground, we can help unify the country and promote a more balanced policy approach to many issues—including those related to energy, the environment, and social well-being,” Miller said.
On the current reflection of the issues in the media, only one in five said the average citizens’ voices are heard in the media. Sixty-one per cent said the media only shows the most extreme views. Details for the online panel study can be found here.
Women who are interested in joining the community can sign up to receive a Question of the Day. They’re on social media and can be followed on Instagram @canadapoweredbywomen.
