Carol Skelton disagrees with a report released last month that says farm women aren’t heard by government or in farm organizations.
“We’ve got a farm woman that’s the minister for National Revenue and Western Diversification, and that’s me. I sit at the table and talk agriculture all the time,” said the Conservative MP for Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar.
Skelton said she had not seen the report that the National Farmers Union commissioned in 2003, which said: “Many government officials are male, urban and unaware of the reality of life on family farms and in rural communities. The policies that are developed, therefore, address only the issues they can comprehend.”
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Skelton said she is vocal and as a federal minister has met many young women from the agriculture industry who are strong and voicing their opinions.
The report, which was compiled when the Liberals were in government, noted the lack of consultation with farm women during the crafting of the agricultural policy framework. Skelton said since the Conservatives took office this year, they have done a lot for farmers.
“Women in our party have played an aggressive role in agriculture.”
While the report said farm women would add more to agricultural policy analysis by widening it to include family and community, Skelton disagreed.
“Any man wanting his farm to be successful wants his family to be successful. For my husband, the farm is his job, his occupation, to make a living for his family. Family is first.”
Skelton also said women are becoming leaders and they don’t need a hand up via special positions to draw their expertise.
However, she did agree with the report that some organizations run as old boys networks.
“You see them and wonder, ‘why aren’t there more women here?’ Women don’t want to work in that atmosphere.”
Skelton said that when she sees groups that are not accepting of women, “they are not in my mind a valid organization.”
