Well, looks like Chile has elected its first female president. The world’s first-ever woman head of state was Sühbaataryn Yanjmaa, who acted as president of Mongolia in 1953. In Canada, we had a female prime minister (Kim Campbell) for just over four months in 1993, but, I mean…four months? We can’t exactly trumpet ourselves as the model to emulate! With a federal election in Canada next week and the leaders of all the major parties being men, it seems the only safe prediction of the outcome is that we won’t be electing a woman this time around. Sigh.
Meanwhile, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is set to be sworn in on Monday as Liberia’s president — the first elected female president of an African country.
Frankly, I agree with those who say the world would be a better place if more women were in politics. Even better if they are world leaders (there are always exceptions to any rule, of course, but I’m not naming names)! Anyhow, one country at a time. So for today, I simply say: ¡Enhorabuena, Michelle!