Most Canadians will become parents, but none of our legislatures were built with parents in mind. Anyone with children or other family obligations contends with the burden of unpredictable schedules, weeks away from home ridings, and a culture of presenteeism. In Making the House a Home Rachael Johnstone issues a rallying call: If being both a good parent and a good legislator is nearly impossible, a renewed commitment to democracy must compel legislatures to make room for both.

Questioning just how family-friendly recent reforms, including parental leave and flexible hours, have been, Johnstone argues that these solutions merely tinker at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system, one designed for people unencumbered by caregiving responsibilities. Fascinating interviews with Canadian politicians demonstrate that, as long as we operate under the assumption that political representatives have no domestic responsibilities, we will continue to have unequal representation – a democratic failure that the recent baby boom in Canadian legislatures has made impossible to ignore.

More than a book about parents in politics, Making the House a Home challenges basic legislative design by asking a fundamental question: Who gets to have a seat at the table?