P.E.I. women's group concerned about lack of gender diversity on cabinet

With two cabinet positions being filled on Wednesday by male MLAs, the P.E.I. Coalition for Women in Government is raising concerns about the lack of gender diversity on cabinet.

• P.E.I. cabinet shuffle: Sonny Gallant and Pat Murphy in, Richard Brown out

"Cabinet is an important place where decisions take place and we see increased gender and diversity at decision-making tables as a really vital component of equality, and so any decrease in that percentage is important,"said Dawn Wilson, the coalition's executive director.

• P.E.I. group wants more female MLA candidates

Wilson said that P.E.I. has four female MLAs Kathleen Casey, Paula Biggar, Tina Mundy and Darlene Compton.

Of those, Biggar and Mundy are cabinet ministers. With the swearing in of Sonny Gallant and Pat Murphy on Wednesday, the percentage of women in cabinet has been reduced from 20 per cent to 18 per cent, Wilson said.

That reduction in the proportion of female cabinet ministers means P.E.I. now rankslowest among the 10 Canadian provinces.

• P.E.I.'s legislature needs more women to be nominated, says group

Wilson said she would like to see members of cabinet "seek out meaningful consultations" with women's organizations to address the issue of the lack of gender diversity. She would also like to see the provincial government find ways to encourage women to run for political office in the next election.

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