VANCOUVER – One-third of the MLAs British Columbians elected during Tuesday’s vote were women, marking a historic level of female representation for the province.
Twenty-nine of B.C.’s 85 legislative seats will be held by women, and that number could increase if a male MLA gives up his seat so Premier Christy Clark, who failed to win her riding, can hold a by-election, reported CTV news.
Non-profit organization Equal Votes BC said the record-high is a milestone worth celebrating, even though the previous legislature held just two fewer female MLAs.
“These numbers are encouraging and demonstrate that women are able political candidates and voters are ready to elect them,” chair Carolyn Jack said in a statement, adding that “we are still a long way from gender equality.”
Clark also made history Tuesday becoming the first female Premier ever to be elected in B.C. She previously won the province’s top political office through a BC Liberal leadership vote.
Depending on where a male or female MLA steps aside for Clark, Equal Votes BC said women will make up either 34 or 35 per cent of the legislature, the highest of any chamber in Canada.
Of the 50 Liberal MLAs elected this week, 15 are female, compared to 13 of the NDP’s 33. Independent Vicki Huntington from Delta-South brings the overall tally up to 29.
Linda Reid, Liberal MLA of Richmond East, said the culture of women in politics has changed dramatically since she was first elected in 1991. When she arrived to serve as opposition caucus chair, it was a male-dominated environment; the chambers had three washrooms for men and none for women.
The BC NDP ran the most female candidates in the 2013 election at 32. The Liberals were close behind, nominating 30 women, followed by the Green Party at 13 women and the Conservatives at seven.
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