Modernizing Legislatures

Equal Voice: Modernizing Legislatures - What We Heard Report

Release date: June 2024
Pages: 18

Through this 27-month project, Equal Voice seeks to advance women’s leadership and ensure that Canada’s legislatures emerge from the pandemic as more gender-sensitive institutions.

Hybrid features can help alleviate systemic barriers women face in politics, notably by allowing elected officials, particularly women, to participate in political life remotely when needed due to illness, family responsibilities, or other exceptional circumstances.

As part of this project, Equal Voice engaged StrategyCorp in August of 2023 to conduct stakeholder consultations and key informant interviews on hybrid mechanisms across the country.

The key findings from StrategyCorp’s engagement are compiled in this report.

 

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In this project, we will work to ensure that Canada’s legislatures emerge from the pandemic as more gender-sensitive institutions. This will alleviate systemic barriers to women’s participation in politics and includes supports like allowing elected officials to participate in a hybrid model where needed, such as for childbirth, illness, family responsibilities, or other exceptional circumstances.

 

Definition of Hybrid:

Hybrid, in the context of this project, refers to a tool to accommodate elected officials to participate virtually in proceedings when in-person participation is not possible, for circumstances such as illness, pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, or other extraordinary situations. 

 

We hosted a webinar in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, discussing municipal governments and exploring different ways that they have or can operationalize hybrid working arrangements. Check it out below:

 

You can also check out our Public Summit discussing our research on modernizing Canadian legislatures here:

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State of Hybrid Policies at Municipal Councils

Release date: May 2024
Pages: 11

State of Hybrid Policies at Municipal Councils – Presented by Anastasiia Sheichuk: Overview of the current status, benefits, and challenges specific to municipalities

 

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Incorporating Hybrid Working Arrangements in Municipalities

Release date: May 2024
Pages: 15

Incorporating Hybrid Working Arrangements in Municipalities – Presented by Equal Voice: Overview of the project, definitions, and public opinion polling specific to municipalities.

 

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Release date: July 2023
Pages: 24

This report highlights the key findings from research commissioned by Equal Voice and conducted by Abacus Data on public opinion of Hybrid Parliament in Canada.

Key Findings:

• 2/3 support a hybrid model, at all levels of Government

• 81% say a hybrid model creates more work-life balance for elected representatives (a big reason why many won’t consider a career as an elected representative)​
• 67% say a hybrid model would create a more inclusive work environment- 84% among those who identify as a visible minority.
• The biggest benefits to a hybrid model are: reducing time and costs associated with travel, creating more work-life balance, and a positive impact on carbon emissions.
• Canadians are most concerned with all representatives being heard equally and being present in a hybrid model.​
• Over half support remote attendance for the following reasons: illness, emergency, caregiving, travel interruptions, new parents/expecting.

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Committee Report

 

This project is funded by the government of Canada – Ministry for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.