Lingenfelter Response To SNDW

March 11 2009

Response to Saskatchewan New Democratic Women

I'm pleased to provide the following responses to your two important questions about the future role of women in our movement:

-What steps will you take to ensure that women have greater participation in leadership positions at all levels within the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party?

While this job is a team effort, the example begins with the Leader. My own campaign team has women in key leadership positions, including Allison Nystrom serving as my Campaign Co-Chair, and Angie Fergusson serving as my Assistant Campaign Manager. Across the province, I have encouraged women to become involved in leadership roles on our constituency association executives, and to consider standing for election to Provincial Executive. My own goal is to have gender parity on the Provincial Executive as soon as the June Convention and gender parity on all major Party Committees as soon as possible thereafter.

I have also encouraged a number of women to consider running for our Party in the 2011 Provincial Election. This work cannot begin too early, as all potential candidates need time to consider this important step, arrange their lives so they can run for a nomination and, if successful, spend the time needed to campaign in their ridings to win.

It is the job of the Leader to set a tone, which encourages Party members to search for and support strong women in their campaigns for leadership roles within our movement. That's why everywhere I've gone in this campaign, I've talked about the need for our Party to present a candidate team that is much more representative of our population than was the case in either the 2003 or 2007 Provincial Elections. This means more women, First Nations and Métis, visible minority, farmer, and trade unionist candidates.

-What specific actions will you take to ensure the NDP meets its goal of having women make up 50 per cent of candidates in the 2011 election?

In both 2003 and 2007, Saskatchewan New Democrats offered a smaller percentage of women candidates for election than either of the other two main parties -- slightly more than 20%. In the 21st century that is unacceptable and we simply must do better to have any hope of winning in 2011.

I have already encouraged a number of women to consider running for our Party in the next election. These women include leaders in the business community and the trade union movement. They include key people in a variety of community organizations and the co-operative sector, as well as professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and accountants.

As Leader, I would propose to establish a Women's Commission responsible for helping me to recruit, train and mentor women interested in seeking leadership positions within our Party, whether on constituency association executives, the Provincial Executive or as candidates for nomination. I would propose to ask current and former female MLAs to join with representatives of the SNDW amongst others, to serve on this new body.

The Women's Commission could also be responsible for planning an annual conference that would bring together women from across the province to network, share knowledge and experience, team build, and develop new expertise with respect to leadership and campaigning skills.

In the year following the leadership convention, I would propose to launch a special fundraising effort for the Party to help finance the creation of the Women's Commission and help fund its work at a high level.

Thank you for your efforts. I look forward to working with the SNDW in the months ahead.


Dwain Lingenfelter
Candidate for Leadership