Bill C-237, also known as the Candidate Gender Equity Act, aims to amend the Canada Elections Act to promote gender equity in the nomination of candidates by registered political parties. The bill proposes a financial disincentive for parties that do not achieve a reasonable balance between male and female candidates. Specifically, the bill states that if there is more than a 10% difference between the number of male and female candidates on a party's list for a general election, the party's election expense reimbursement will be reduced.
The bill adds a requirement for candidates to declare their gender. It also requires registered parties to provide a statement of the total number of male and female candidates on their candidate list. The financial penalty is calculated by subtracting 10 from the percentage difference between male and female candidates and then dividing the result by four. This percentage is then used to reduce the party's reimbursement.
The bill includes a preamble outlining the rationale for the proposed changes. It highlights the underrepresentation of women in Canadian politics, the barriers women face in the candidate selection process, and the need for incentives to encourage parties to nominate more women. The bill does not prevent any party from running any candidate, but rather encourages equity by use of a financial incentive related to election expense reimbursement.