Reaching out to Canadian women and youth.

• Author: Driedger, Myrna

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) have come together to work for better representation of women in legislatures throughout Canada and the Commonwealth. Created in 2005, the CWP-Canadian Region is comprised of women parliamentarians of the provincial and territorial Canadian legislatures and the Federal parliament. Its aims and objectives are: To provide opportunities for strategic discussion and development for future and present parliamentarians; To increase female representation in our Parliaments; To foster closer relationships between Canadian women parliamentarians; To foster relations with other countries having close parliamentary ties with Canada; and To discuss, strategize and act on gender-related issues in Canada and internationally. The CWP pursues its objectives by means of annual Commonwealth parliamentary conferences and regional conferences, outreach programs and participation in many campaign schools across the country. This article looks at the 2013 Outreach Program held in Quebec.

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The importance of creating awareness and sharing information with women and girls about the role of parliamentarians, the parliamentary system and the political process is key to increasing engagement of women in politics. Outreach programs provide an invaluable opportunity to encourage involvement and to de-mystify the political world.

The CWP-Canadian Region also participates in many campaign schools across the country--sharing insights and experiences--in the hopes of inspiring women to take that step into politics.

The purpose of our Outreach Program is to increase women's representation in all levels of government. During the program, discussions are held concerning the role of the CWP and the objectives of the CWP Outreach Program; the multiple roles of parliamentarians; increasing youth engagement; the road to election day and the election process; the support available to candidates; increasing women's representation in the public service; and the importance of community and constituency involvement.

The 2013 Program

As Chair of the CWP--Canada, I led a delegation of members from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and the Northwest Territories to attend the CWP Outreach Program in Quebec, from March 20-23, 2013.

The sixth annual Outreach Program built on the successful visits to Prince Edward Island, in 2011, British Columbia in 2010, Nunavut...