Democracy in the 21st century: new opportunities for women parliamentarians.

• Author: Barnes, Sue

Since its inception in 1911 the Commonwealth (formerly Empire) Parliamentary Association has undergone an amazing transformation. From an all male, all white organization representing six national Parliaments the CPA has evolved into a multi cultural, multi-racial association of over 170 national, state, provincial and territorial legislatures grouped into nine Regions of which Canada is one. Restrictions against women disappeared but only recently have female legislators begun to play a prominent role thanks in large part to a body known as the Commonwealth Women's Parliamentarians (CWP).

The origins of the CWP can be traced to an informal meeting of women held at the 35th Commonwealth Parliamentary in Barbados in 1989. A women's caucus was initiated by Senator Norma Cox Astwood of Bermuda. Thanks to her efforts and that of other women, including the Hon. Maria Minna, in 1992 the Executive Committee of CPA recognized the CWP and allocated time in the annual conference agenda for the women to meet and elect a steering committee. A Task Force was establish which produced a report entitled Barriers to Women's Participation in Parliament reported to the 1994 Conference in Banff. Since that time provision has been made in the annual conference for the CWP to meet at a time that did not conflict with any other conference business. A significant change took place in 2004 when the CWP became a funded body within the CPA and its Chair, Lindiwe Maseko (Gauteng) took a seat on the International Executive Committee representing the Group.

Despite progress at the international level, and in some regions such as Australia where an Australian Women's Parliamentary Association was created in 2003, we did not seem to be making much progress in establishing a Canadian section. I and Hon. Sarmite Bulte raised the issue at meetings of the Canadian Regional Council of CPA which consists of the Speakers of all the legislatures plus the Canadian Regional representatives on the International Executive Committee.

At the summer 2004 meeting Speaker Harvey Hodder of Newfoundland and Labrador suggested that women interested in forming a group take the opportunity to meet in conjunction with the CPA Regional Conference in Newfoundland the next summer.

The full day meeting took place in St. John's on July 19, 2005. Sixteen parliamentarians from seven Branches were represented including: Saskatchewan, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta...