How will Canada Change if 40% of our MPs are women? The result might not be what you think. Women aren't really that different from men in the way that we vote and the political parties we subscribe to.

1. How will Canada be a better place when 40% of MPs are women?

3. How do you answer that question?

4. Better pensions for homemakers Rehabilitation for young offenders No Poverty Living Wages Improved health care Universal heath care safe Better Quality Education Stronger social net

6. Problem: Not enough women in parliament

7. Assumption: If we elect 40% women, they will be able to change policy

8. Party Discipline

9. Power is in cabinet

10. Assumption: If we elect women they will vote in the interests of other women

12. Women think alike

13. Women’s Opinions Canadian Elections Study: 2008

14. 41% favour some private hospitals

15. 56% Agree that people who don’t get ahead should blame themselves, not the system

16. 37% Favour the death penalty

17. 41% Agree that people should be able to pay to get medical treatment sooner

18. 45% say that about the same amount should be done for women as now

19. Best Way to Deal with Violent Young Offenders Tougher Sentences More Rehabilitation 42% 47%

20. 42% Agree that society would be better off if more women stayed home with their children

21. Men and women are more alike than different

22. Women do not think alike on social policy issues

23. So What?

26. What about PR?

27. 2008 General Election % Popular Vote

28. Projected Female MPs By Party

30. Why?

31. Education & Household Income Gender 19% 3.6%

33. Electing more women may not lead to social change

35. How?

36. Reframe the Problem

38. It’s not what you say, it’s what they hear

41. Change your “P” Ness

42. References Jacquetta Newman and White, Linda. Women, Politics and Public Policy: the Political Struggles of Canadian Women. Oxford University Press Canada. 2006. Paul Barker and Charlton, Mark (ed). Contemporary Political Issues. (6th ed.) Nelson Education. 2009. Chip Health and Heath, Dan. Switch: How to change things when change is hard. Random House Canada. 2010. Canadian Election Study. http://ces-eec.org/pagesE/home.html. Sourced on March 3, 2010. Elections Canada. 2008 Election Results. http://www.elections.ca/scripts/OVR2008/default.html. Sourced on March 5, 2010. Frank Luntz. Words that Work: It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear. Hyperion. 2007.