PRESS RELEASES
January 27, 2004

Media Release

Media Release, Jan. 27, 2004 Groups and individuals concerned about the under-representation of women in Parliament have written Prime Minister Paul Martin urging him to get actively involved in ensuring his Liberal Party runs many more women candidates in the federal election, expected as early as April.

“We are concerned that without your active intervention at this time, your stated goal of the largest slate ever of Liberal women candidates, will not be met” says the letter, sent today to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Similar letters will go to all federal party leaders calling for the nomination of more women to run for seats in the Commons, where females now comprise only 21 per cent of Members. In the last election, the number of women standing for nomination actually declined.

The 21 signatories of the letter come from different regions of the country and are members of the new Women’s Political ConneXion. They represent a broad spectrum of women, and men, in Canadian society who support women’s aspirations for an equal role in governing the country.

For more information:

Rosemary Speirs, chair Equal Voice, a national advocacy group for the election of more women, rspeirs@equalvoice.ca , 905-509-2777

Gloria Wilkinson, Chair, Winning Women, Calgary, gmwilky@telus.net, 403-246-3916

Manon Tremblay, Director, Research Centre on Women and Politics, University of Ottawa, mtrembla@uottawa.ca 613-562-5800, ext. 1891, or 514-528-6276 (Thursday to Sunday)

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