Women Leaders in the Canadian Public Sector

In our fast-paced world of competition and innovation, female leadership may be the key to success.

By: Elizabeth Palmieri, Staff Writer

Whether you’re a politician, board member, or public servant, leaders in the public sector have the power to impact the lives of Canadians every day by making important decisions about the nation’s welfare. Dealing with issues ranging from the economy, to health care, to globalization requires a diverse range of thought, experience and perspectives to respond efficiently to these challenges and maintain a prosperous future for the well-being of Canadians.

According to 2009 data from Status of Women Canada, the World Bank ranked Canada second overall for government effectiveness among the 20 largest members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. They claim that “gender equality is smart economics” and that investing in educating women contributes to a higher efficiency of productivity and economic growth.

[pullquote]Women are disproportionately represented at lower level, lower paying, and often part time employment despite employment equity laws having been in place for the past 10 years.[/pullquote]

However, despite the fact that women constitute over half the workforce in the public sector in Canada, according to research on women as public sector leaders published by EY this year, women only account for 45% of public sector positions in Canada.

Further, the EY study shows that women are disproportionately represented at lower level, lower paying, and often part time employment despite employment equity laws having been in place for the past 10 years. Governments across the world have also addressed gender inequality in the workplace and have implemented legislation and protective measures to promote equal opportunity employment for the past 40 years.

However, despite the fact that there are nearly as many women employed as public servants as their male counterparts, they continue to lag in management positions in Canada.

Ruth Shaw, the winner of the 2013 Public Service award at the UK First Women Awards, is a strong advocate for employment equity programs in organizations and corporations, emphasizing the need for an increase in female leadership in the public sector as a means of continued economic success.“Organizations can only succeed and grow if the best talent is not only employed, but supported and developed,” Shaw explains. “As long as 51% of the population is not represented at senior levels then we are missing out. And of course it is morally and socially right to have gender equality. It is fair.”

[pullquote]“What’s the point, for example, of having better-educated women if we find our aspirations blocked and our talents shortchanged in the world of work?”[/pullquote]

Although employment equity laws and progressive organizational policies may have led to an increase in women in the workforce, the effects of these initiatives haven’t been felt in more senior level positions, leading some to question whether countries like Canada have missed the mark when it comes to employment equity. According to Naledi Pandor, the South African Minister of Home Affairs, implementing legislation to address gender inequality in the workforce and in education may not be enough.

“What’s the point, for example, of having better-educated women if we find our aspirations blocked and our talents shortchanged in the world of work?” Pandor said.

Findings from Carleton University suggest that countries with employment equity legislation show a definite increase in women’s representation in the workforce, unlike countries without such equity legislation; however, this legislation must be coupled with specific goals and strategies to transition women into higher leadership positions within the public sector.

An important way to get women more involved in leadership positions is for women who are in these positions to become role models and mentors to their female colleagues.

According to the EY reports, “It’s easier for women to feel more confident, like they are actually competent enough to [become leaders] when they see other women in these leadership positions”. Leading by example also means speaking up against negative behaviours and attitudes that challenge the goal of gender equity, the study finds.

So what are Canadian public sector employees and politicians doing to promote women in the workforce?

On Our Way to a Richer and Diverse Future: The Government of Canada

In recent years, there have been great strides made for promoting female leadership in the public sector. According to the Status of Women Canada findings, the government’s support for community-based projects has nearly doubled since 2007, rising from $10.8 million to close to $19 million and supporting over 600 projects. Since 2007, more than $21 million has been budgeted for projects that promote women’s leadership and democratic participation.

In late July 2013, Honourable Dr. Kellie Leitch, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of the Status of Women announced the government’s support for a new project to strengthen leadership opportunities for women.

[pullquote] “Women are the key to Canada’s economic success, and we are committed to increasing leadership opportunities for Canadian women.”[/pullquote]

“Government is focused on what matters to Canadians—creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Leitch in a news release. “Women are the key to Canada’s economic success, and we are committed to increasing leadership opportunities for Canadian women.”

This project, recently funded by the government in recognition of the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month, Canadian Women Pioneers: Inspiring change through ongoing leadership, will promote guidance through economic empowerment for women in Toronto. Modeled as a best practice, “Roots/Routes to Women’s Leadership and Empowerment” is a program that can be applied across the nation to help the women who sign up to receive training and mentorship, and to help strengthen their skills and confidence in taking on leadership roles in their communities. Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2012, the Government of Canada introduced an advisory council of leaders from both the public and private sector to promote the participation of women on corporate boards. The issue of diversity in the boardrooms is still lacking today—in a recent report, Rona Ambrose, the Minister for the Status of Women, noted that women make up only 14.5% of the total board seats at the Financial Post 500 companies in Canada, a situation that is simply “unacceptable in a country like Canada,” she says.

“We don’t need another report. We don’t need another study,” Ambrose says. “It is time for bold action. Our government is committed to helping women succeed and contribute to the prosperity of our nation. It is not only the right thing to do—it is the smart thing to do.”

With the high percentage of women holding positions in the public sector, an increase in diversity in management positions has the potential to contribute substantially to the positive performance of the Canadian public service. Promoting female leaders with legislation and equity laws, creating programs in which female role models can mentor aspiring individuals for future leadership positions, and remaining conscious about the invisible barriers that women face in the workforce are all important initiatives to increasing female leadership in the public sector.

The public sector must continue to stimulate the growth of women in leadership positions and in contributing to the crucial decision-making of the country for a richer and more diverse future for all Canadians.

Elizabeth is a full-time Communications student at Carleton University and a part-time day dreamer who believes that her two passions of traveling and writing unanimously is the key to her consummate bliss. LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/elizabeth-palmieri/59/221/936

Image Courtesy of Wai Young.