Former Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Kim Campbell, Delivers the 2014 Ismaili Centre Lecture

On Saturday November 15, the Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada, delivered the 2014 Ismaili Centre Lecture at the Ismaili Centre in Vancouver.

(Left) The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada and Malik Talib, President of the Aga Khan Council for Canada enter the Ismaili Centre for the 2014 Ismaili Centre Lecture in Vancouver. (Right) Malik Talib, President of the Aga Khan Council for Canada, delivers the opening remarks for the 2014 Ismaili Centre Lecture in Vancouver.Photo Credits: Azim Verjee

Speaking on the topic of “Building Civil Societies: The Role of Women Leaders”, Ms. Campbell delivered an engaging, thought-provoking and witty speech by drawing upon her own experiences as a female leader and citing the growing body of research on gender balance in leadership. Ms. Campbell wholly exemplifies the female leader, having been the first woman to become Prime Minister of Canada as well as the first female Defense Minister and Minister of Justice in Canada. The lecture event drew a diverse range of guests including government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, the judiciary, academia, civil society leaders, and students.

President of the Aga Khan Council for Canada, Malik Talib, addresses an audience composed of government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, the judiciary, academia, civil society leaders, and students as he welcomes the Right Honourable Kim Campbell for the 2014 Ismaili Centre Lecture.Photo Credit: Sultan Baloo

Malik Talib, President of the Aga Khan Council for Canada spoke on how the Ismaili Centre Lectures "are intended to raise awareness on issues of importance and relevance through public debate, dialogue and community engagement" and remarked how Ms. Campbell  has “broken gender barriers at every political level,” with her impressive record of public service.

During her lecture, Ms. Campbell correlated recent research with much of what she experienced as a female trailblazer in the Canadian political arena. She came to learn that many of the attitudes she encountered on a daily basis were due to preconceived notions built by each individual's personal experiences throughout life. Ms. Campbell stated that these attitudes were driven by ‘visceral’ as opposed to intellectual reactions where the presence of a female leader in a male-dominated field was contrary to these established schemas, but can eventually be transcended. Women must overcome these inherent exclusionary predispositions and research has shown that once these gender barriers are broken, the inclusion of women in leadership positions adds significant value to an organization.

The Right Honourable Kim Campbell delivers the annual Ismaili Centre Lecture entitled “Building Civil Societies: The Role of Women Leaders” to an audience composed of government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, the judiciary, academia, civil society leaders, and students at the Ismaili Centre in Vancouver.Photo Credits: Azim Verjee

Ms. Campbell highlighted the shift that has taken place over the last few decades. Where previously women were included in the workplace solely based on faith and justice, today women are appointed because data has shown that their presence actually increases the efficacy and success of a company. She stated that our society has arrived at a time where companies are no longer able to justify the exclusion of women, but rather must adhere to a ‘comply or explain’ mandate, given the mounting evidence of the value women bring to organizations. Studies have suggested that a unique dynamic takes place when women leaders are included, which results in tangible benefits, be it a greater return on investment, better risk assessment or simply outperforming a competitor.

Ms. Campbell paralleled the presence of women in the workplace to other forms of diversity such as the inclusion of multiple ethnicities, cultural values and languages, which is accompanied by greater communication, alternative perspectives and improved performance. This notion, which Ms. Campbell remarked is essentially the notion of pluralism, ultimately results in the creation of an ethical society where decisions are made responsibly and institutions perform optimally. She commended the Ismaili community for their longstanding support for the inclusion of women in leadership positions, as demonstrated by the appointment of several women leaders in Jamati institutions.

(Left) The Right Honourable Kim Campbell sits down with Margot Young, Associate Professor of Law at the University of British Columbia, for an on-stage conversation following the 2014 Ismaili Centre lecture in Vancouver. (Right) Yasin Amlani, Honorary Secretary for the Ismaili Council for British Columbia, presents the Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada with an artwork entitled the “Bismillah Whale” by Ismaili Artist Sherazad Jamal. The artwork represents a multiplicity of expressions and the coming together of cultures.Photo Credits: Azim Verjee and Sultan Baloo

In closing, Ms. Campbell stressed the importance of “understanding our ethical obligation to be the best we can possibly be” through the inclusion of women leaders. She concluded by emphasizing that society must establish the landscape where females are given the opportunity to be leaders, stating that, “The only way we can change it is by being there…if you can see it, you can be it.”

At a time when gender roles, equality and the female struggle between career and family are being talked about more than ever before, Ms. Campbell’s insightful discourse could not have come at a better time. 

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