Toronto, ON, November 2021 — As of September 2021, only thirteen women had reached Canada’s top political posts: elected or appointed provincial premier or prime minister. They have represented three major political parties and served across provinces and territories from coast to coast to coast. But, as professor and provincial candidate Kate Graham discovered, there are concerning similarities in their stories: women tend to reach the top only in challenging political circumstances; they last in the top job for about half as long as men do; and, when they run for re-election, they lose.

No Second Chances shares the stories of the rise and fall of women in Canada’s most senior political roles and examines the obstacles that prevent more women from reaching for and achieving these goals. Based on interviews conducted for the Canada 2020 No Second Chances podcast, Graham provides readers with a rare glimpse into the lives of female political leaders, from the perspectives of the women who know this story best.

As of September 2021, only thirteen women had reached Canada’s top political posts: elected or appointed provincial premier or prime minister. They have represented three major political parties and served across provinces and territories from coast to coast to coast. But, as professor and provincial candidate Kate Graham discovered, there are concerning similarities in their stories: women tend to reach the top only in challenging political circumstances; they last in the top job for about half as long as men do; and, when they run for re-election, they lose.

No Second Chances shares the stories of the rise and fall of women in Canada’s most senior political roles and examines the obstacles that prevent more women from reaching for and achieving these goals. Based on interviews conducted for the Canada 2020 No Second Chances podcast, Graham provides readers with a rare glimpse into the lives of female political leaders, from the perspectives of the women who know this story best.

Key Selling Points

• An insightful book chronicling the journeys of Canada’s female first ministers and the obstacles they continue to face even after achieving Canada’s highest offices.
• Kate Graham, herself a political candidate, has first-hand knowledge on what it’s like to navigate the political landscape as a woman.
• The women’s journeys were first documented in the Canada 2020 podcast No Second Chances, where Kate interviewed a number of female politicians. The podcast had over 55,000 unique listeners per episode.
• Kate’s Fall 2021 children’s book, Govern Like a Girl, on the same topic, was our most successful pre-order titles for the season.

A hard-hitting book about the struggles women face in politics in Canada, featuring insightful interviews with the women who dealt with it first hand.