Equal Voice's Founding Chair, Rosemary Speirs, issued the Ontario Challenge in 2006 to the leaders of the Ontario Liberal, Progressive Conservative and New Democratic Parties, asking them to jointly commit to the goal of nominating more women candidates. Equal Voice sought out assistance from women Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) from all political parties who were instrumental in getting their leaders to pledge support to the Ontario Challenge.
While Equal Voice did not ask the parties to meet specific targets, the goal is to increase the numbers of women elected to Queen's Park. The three leaders of Ontario's major political parties: John Tory, Dalton McGuinty and Howard Hampton all agreed to take up the Ontario Challenge and run more women candidates in the upcoming election.
With their statements, the leaders sent the message that they want more women in their elected ranks.
Equal Voice tracked the numbers of women candidates nominated and provided reports to the media on the progress of all three political parties.
All three political parties did a better job nominating more women candidates resulting in a 7% increase in the numbers of women elected to Queen's Park in just one election cycle.
October 30, 2007
Ontario Cabinet has Nine Women: Equal Voice
November 21, 2007
Equal Voice Calls for the to Speaker to Implement Family Friendly Reforms at Queen’s Park
October 15, 2007
Equal Voice urges McGuinty to put more women in cabinet
October 11, 2007
Equal Voice Says More Women Elected: Now 27% at Queen's Park
Fast Facts Ontario Election
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Page 2 of 2
October 11, 2007
Defeat of Electoral Reform a Crushing Blow to those working for the Election of More Women
Updated October 11, 2007
Fast Facts: Women in Provincial Politics
Thursday, October 11, 2007 | 12:43 AM ET
Women make modest gains in Ont. legislature - CBC News
Updated October 11, 2007
Most women ever will take seats in Ontario legislature;
30 MPPs in new gov't will be female - By Allison Jones, Canadian Press
September 27, 2007
Reaching critical mass: Women in the Ontario legislature - By Jennifer Wilson, CBCNews.ca
September 19, 2007
EV issues urgent call for leaders to throw Electioneering muscle behind winnable women.
September 11, 2007
Ontario Election: MORE WOMEN RUNNING - Breakthrough to 30% at Queen's Park possible
June 27, 2007
High profile women MPPs not running re-election
April 19, 2007
Ontario parties have an uphill battle to meet Equal Voice's Ontario Challenge
June 16, 2006
Liberal Party Leader, Premier Dalton McGuinty;
Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory;
Statement by Ms. Lisa MacLeod (MPP for Nepean-Carleton)
Letter from Howard Hampton Re: Seeking our party's support for reforms
to help more women get elected in Ontario, 01/05
Letter to Dalton McGuinty, 01/05
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