While countries like Liberia and Chile are electing women leaders, female representation in Canadian politics is meagre -- something that former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps blames on sexism.

Copps says if you go into the electoral backrooms of every local riding office in the country, its volunteers are 90 per female. And while women are engaged, they are engaged in secondary political roles.

"In the media, in business, in finance and in politics, women are still not equal in the full sense of the term," Copps told CTV's Canada AM Friday.

"There is a degree of sexism there that keeps women from reaching the top spot in the corporate sector, in the banking sector, in the media and financial sector -- and the same thing holds true in politics."

While women make up 52 per cent of the Canadian population, they have never been equally represented in the House, Copps said.

According to Equal Voice, a national coalition of women and men who want to get more women engaged it the process, the Liberals have 26 per cent female representation. The Conservatives recruited 12 per cent women candidates, while the NDP has 35 per cent female representation. The Bloc Quebecois have 30 per cent.

As well, Copps said there are potential leadership races in a number of parties, and there are no women on the horizon to run.

"That's frustrating for people who really want to believe that we are a country that prides itself on equality."

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, several countries are embracing their female leaders.

This week, Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was inaugurated, after becoming the first woman elected to a head of an African state, while in Chile, voters elected Michelle Bachelet as president. And in November, Angela Merkel was elected Germany's first female chancellor.

Belinda Stronach, who first real foray into politics was the leadership race for the Conservative party, said it could be very frustrating at times to keep people concentrated on the issues.

"Sometimes it can be a little big frustrating when you're trying to get a message out, and people are focusing on your personal life, or the shoes you're wearing," Stronach said.

So what is the solution?

Copps said the nomination process in ridings needs to be made more transparent. She said it is rife with secrecy, and with backroom deals "where money is the predictor."

"And every survey will show that the most difficult thing for women candidates is to raise money."

She also said that, as a nation, we need to look at why more women aren't in politics.

"If you look at Canada, we spend millions and millions of dollars trying to understand regionalism," she said.

"At the same time, we have never solidly as a nation looked at why it is that 52 per cent of the population have never been equally represented in the House."