Prime Minister Justin Trudeau moved last month to introduce more diversity into his cabinet but some political experts said the additions won害羞草研究所檛 have much effect unless they go beyond surface-level representation.
Trudeau added seven new faces to his governing team on July 26 including Mississauga MP Rechie Valdez, the first Filipina Canadian woman MP, and Toronto MP Gary Anandasangaree, who is the first Sri Lankan Tamil to serve in cabinet.
Trudeau said in July that the new cabinet is a reflection of Canada害羞草研究所檚 diversity and would bring new voices, skills and experiences to the table.
Many saw the changes as part of an effort by the Liberals to shore up support in tight ridings and among specific ethnic communities.
But Erin Tolley, the Canada Research Chair on gender, race and inclusive politics at Carleton University in Ottawa, said a seat at the table is only one part of true representation 害羞草研究所� both for the ministers themselves and for the people they represent.
害羞草研究所淚 think in these particular cases, appointing somebody from those communities does act as a signal that the Liberals are listening, that they value input from that community,害羞草研究所� said Tolley.
At the same time, it害羞草研究所檚 reductive to speak of changes to cabinet in terms of racial impact, she said. Focusing solely on race instead of policy is a disservice to both diaspora communities and the ministers themselves because it assumes diaspora communities vote primarily on the basis of the racial background, she said.
There害羞草研究所檚 little evidence to suggest voters can be motivated solely on racial grounds, said Tolley, which means a more diverse cabinet isn害羞草研究所檛 likely to dramatically shift voting behaviour among the people they represent come election time.
害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 simply put diverse faces around a table without also changing the way you do policy and the kinds of policy choices you害羞草研究所檙e making,害羞草研究所� said Tolley.
Without this, communities could shift their alliances if they feel their support is being taken advantage of and if they害羞草研究所檙e not seeing responsiveness from a government, she said.
Sabreena Delhon, executive director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, said politicians can also feel taken advantage of if they don害羞草研究所檛 receive the supports they need in their new roles.
害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e going to have someone in a space where they have traditionally been under-represented or have had limited decision-making power, you need to think about what it will take to retain them,害羞草研究所� Delhon said. 害羞草研究所淎nd that relates to creating working conditions that are sustainable and supportive.害羞草研究所�
Delhon said Samara害羞草研究所檚 podcast, 害羞草研究所淗umans of the House害羞草研究所�, which interviews former members of Parliament about their experiences in politics, has helped showcasewhat it means to work on the Hill. The candid conversations have talked about mental health struggles, the gruelling schedules and the steep learning curve MPs face when they receive a promotion.
When diverse MPs are given those promotions, there needs to be mechanisms in place to support their success and retention in the roles, said Delhon.
害羞草研究所淚f we don害羞草研究所檛 find ways for the House of Commons and the broader workplace culture of politics in Canada to hold on to the best and brightest problem solvers, then the leaders that we need will stop stepping forward altogether.害羞草研究所�
And, she added, it害羞草研究所檚 not uncommon for racialized politicians to be the subject to threats online which add more stress and mental health struggles to their long list of challenges.
Samara analyzed more than 2.5-million posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, directed toward candidates in the 2021 federal election. About 20 per cent of those tweets were 害羞草研究所渢oxic or abusive,害羞草研究所� Delhon said, including sexually explicit content and attacks on their identities.
Cabinet shuffle day can be 害羞草研究所渁n exciting day,害羞草研究所� said Delhon, 害羞草研究所渂ut it害羞草研究所檚 important to understand how challenging the path to that position might have been for some,害羞草研究所� especially those who are racialized.
When Charmaine Williams, a member of provincial parliament in Ontario, was named to Premier Doug Ford害羞草研究所檚 cabinet last year she became the first Black person in cabinet for the conservatives in that province.
She said she害羞草研究所檚 felt supported 害羞草研究所渆very step of the way,害羞草研究所� both from her colleagues and her constituents 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渁ll those who害羞草研究所檝e been impacted by the various barriers that so many Canadians (and) Ontarians face.害羞草研究所�
This makes the feelings of support and inclusion even stronger, she said, because she knows folks 害羞草研究所渦nderstand what it害羞草研究所檚 like to be the first.害羞草研究所�
Williams was speaking in Ottawa at the end of a summit of the Canadian Congress of Black Parliamentarians. She said collaborating with other Black politicians reminds her that even though they may be the only ones in the room, you害羞草研究所檙e still there with the mandate to fight for all Canadians.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 such a great feeling,害羞草研究所� she said.
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