A boot camp was held at city hall Saturday for women who are interested in getting involved in politics.

Organized by a group called Equal Voice Toronto, the event aimed to encourage women to get involved in municipal politics.

"Female candidates get held to a different standard than male candidates," Gabrielle Gallant of Equal Voice Toronto told CP24. "For instance you never hear male candidates being asked if they have challenges balancing their family life with their political life, but that's something female candidates are asked all the time – 'how does this impact your children, do you still have time to pick your kids up from school,' and things like that."

She pointed out that after Premier Kathleen Wynne became the first woman in Ontario's history to occupy the premier's office, one of the first questions was asked was whether she would wear pants suits.

"That’s just certainly not something that a male politician would be asked on the day that he assumed office," Gallant said.

Several mayoral candidates, both male and female, were also in attendance at Saturday's event.

"I think we need to do more to encourage good people to run," Coun. Karen Stintz said. "Sometimes women feel they can't because of the barriers that are in place. Equal Voice is so important because it helps explain and helps reduce those barriers to encourage participation."

Stintz is so far the only female candidate considered a front-runner in the race for the mayor's office.

NDP MP Olivia Chow, who is considered a likely candidate, though she has not yet formally announced that she will run, also appeared at the event and spoke about her difficulties entering politics.

"I was very shy, I was very nervous speaking in front of people," Chow said of her start in politics as a school board trustee. "I knew what changes I wanted in the education system, but I wasn't sure I could speak in front of the public, so I got myself trained. I was still scared, really scared and it took a long time to overcome that."

However Chow said she found that if one is clear about what one wants to do, then "the barriers will melt away."

While just 15 of the 44 seats councillor seats on Toronto City Council are occupied by women, the boot camp does have a fair track record of encouraging women to get into politics.

Councillors Mary-Margaret McMahon and Kristyn Wong-Tam attended the event four years ago and were subsequently elected to council in the 2010 election. Both turned out at Saturday’s event to share their experiences as well.