P.E.I.'s legislature needs more women to be nominated, says group

The P.E.I. Coalition for Women in Government says more women need to be involved in the nomination process when it comes to elections on the Island.

The coalition says the percentage of female MLA's peaked in 2007 at 26 per cent, but that has declined significantly over the last two elections, and even further since former environment minister Janice Sherry resigned Aug.1.

The party candidates running in the byelection to replace Sherry have been chosen, with three men and one woman, Lynn Lund with the Green Party.

Prior to Janice Sherry's resignation, about 18 per cent of members of the legislature were women, now that's decreased to 15 per cent," said Dawn Wilson, executive director of the coalition. "We were pleased to see Nancy Beth Guptil and Norma McColeman put their name forward for nominations for district 21, and to see Lynn there, I think that's very hopeful."

Both Guptil for the Liberals and McColeman for the PCs were defeated in the nomination vote, the only women to offer for either party, while no women offered for the NDP.

"I think it speaks to the need to increase the number of women during the nomination process," said Wilson. "We know that Islanders don't discriminate against women at the polls, but the challenge is getting women's names on the ballots in the first place."

The coalition says P.E.I. ranks 11th out of the 13 provinces and territories in the number of women who currently hold provincial office.

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