Annette Isaac explores the representation and participation of women of colour in Canadian politics, race and ethnicity issues in Canada, and the politics of education policy and decision making in the English-Caribbean.
The common barriers facing women entering Canadian politics have been well established: funding, networking, timeframes, family commitments, stereotyping, the party nomination processes. So Annette Isaac, MA/80, is taking a different approach. She wants to know why and how some women of colour are elected to the Canadian Parliament and provincial legislatures given the under-representation of both minorities and women in recent elections.
“Rather than look at what keeps women of colour out of the corridors of power, I want to focus on the elements that contribute to their success in politics,” says Isaac, an adjunct research professor in the department of political science. “Unfortunately, there’s a small sample to draw from.”
Beginning with the 1993 federal election in which Jean Augustine and Hedy Fry became the first black women members of Parliament, Isaac hopes to document the narratives of women of colour between then and now. By investigating the unexplored factors and circumstances that influence these women’s entry into and success in politics, Isaac’s research could inform policies to attract and retain more women of colour.
Between 1993 and 2006, the House of Commons was 21 per cent women and 5 per cent people of colour. Women of colour accounted for only two per cent of seats. “Without sufficient representation, minorities—and especially women of colour—will feel increasingly disenfranchised and marginalized,” says Isaac. “This affects the future of Canada as a Parliamentary democracy.”
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