The merits of mediocrity

A year ago, there were six female premiers in Canada. Now, for various reasons, there are only two. Life remains tough at the top for women in the professions, too. Of the 193 Lexpert Ranked Lawyers pictured in the ROB Magazine distributed today, only 15 per cent are women. And this in a field where for two decades women have comprised 50 per cent of the law school graduates. Some of the banks and other corporations are making progress with female director appointments following a push by the Ontario Securities Commission, but full boardroom equality remains a distant, forlorn hope.

Some women in politics are not helping the cause of the sisterhood. There have been allegations about expense account and travel fiddles made against women in three levels of government: former Alberta Premier Alison Redford, Senator Pamela Wallin, and Susan Fennell, the mayor of Brampton, Ont. All of these complaints appear to fall into the category of a sense of entitlement, a failing that catches men at the top, too. Conrad Black, Garth Drabinsky and Alan Eagleson, all of whom went to jail, come to mind. 

But rather than commit major fraud, as do many men who go astray, women seem to get ensared by spending issues, just like the stereotypical female shopper. As for real equality, that day will only arrive when numerous mediocre women are promoted. Lord knows there have been too many mediocre men in charge for far too many years.