Gender-based Violence in Canadian Politics: Public Opinion, Legislative Accountability, and Actions Needed
Date
Friday March 22, 202412:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Location
The Corry Colloquium Speaker Series of the Department of Political Studies presents:
Tracey Raney - Toronto Metropolitan University
"Gender-based Violence in Canadian Politics: Public Opinion, Legislative Accountability, and Actions Needed"
Friday, March 22, 2024
12:00-1:30 PM
Mackintosh-Corry Hall | Room D214
Light lunch served
Abstract:
Gender-based violence in the public sphere poses a significant threat to political equality and democratic governance globally. Since the #MeToo movement, several countries in the global North have taken some steps to address this problem, including Canada. Yet little is known about what the public thinks of these steps or their expectations of what should happen when an elected official engages in this unethical behaviour. In this talk I will present public opinion data on what Canadians believe should happen when an MP engages in one type of gender-based violence: sexual harassment. The findings have relevance for lawmakers in Canada and elsewhere, revealing the importance of transparent, independent processes to improve legislative accountability on this issue. The talk will conclude with some reflections on future actions needed to address this growing threat to Canada’s democracy.
Biography:
Dr. Tracey Raney (she/her) is Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration, and a member of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies, at Toronto Metropolitan University. She previously served as the Graduate Program Director of the MA in Public Policy and Administration.
In addition to holding a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Calgary, she holds a Masters Degree in Canadian Studies (with a specialization in Women’s Studies) from Carleton University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Studies from Queen’s University.
Dr. Raney’s broad research interests are in the areas of Canadian politics and women and politics. Her work focuses mainly on questions of identity, representation and leadership on topics including Canadian national identity, sub-national political identities in Canada, women’s political representation (Canada and Ontario), gender-based violence in politics, and sexual misconduct in legislatures. You can read more about her externally-funded projects on violence and harassment against women in Canadian politics in this Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council on her research.