It's an accepted verité of Canadian politics that things can get a bit wacky in British Columbia. Consistent, therefore, is the report in the National Post that the BC NDP is facing a constitutional dilemma because no female appears to be interested in replacing recently resigned (metaphorically stabbed in the back by her colleagues would be more accurate) leader Carol James.
In the weeks since Carole James announced she was stepping down as head of the B.C. NDP, several members of the party have expressed an interest in replacing her. The only problem for the party: They're all men.
According to Article 13 of the B.C. NDP's constitution, there must be at least one man and one woman occupying the top three positions within the organization — leader, president and treasurer. Currently, the president, Moe Sihota, and the treasurer, Bob Smits, are men, which means one of their jobs is likely on the line. "If the constitution is going to be complied with, one of those other officers needs to resign and be replaced with a woman," said David Schreck. a pundit and former B.C. MLA, who first publicized the clause on Twitter this past week.
"There's only one way out and that is Sihota or Smits has to be replaced by a woman."
link: NDP in B.C. face gender conundrum
Apparently the party also has rules that 50% of its officers must be female apparently without regard for ability or interest. Such discrimination on the basis of gender should never have been contemplated or allowed.
It's hard to empathize with a political organization that would encumber itself with such constitutional rules; even more so with one that would defiantly refuse to work-around the rules as the report goes on state it must, based on remarks by president Sihota.
Put another way, 50% of BC NDP officials must be women, regardless of competence or willingness to participate. This does help to explain why the BC NDP can't get much traction with voters, despite the Liberal Party's crash and burn in the province. Liberals must be delighted to see their opponents caught-out in this dilemma of their own creation and one which should have been foreseen and avoided.
It's so easy; discrimination on the basis of gender is never right.
