February 29, 2008
International Women's Day 2008
PSAC asks: Where is the federal plan for women's equality?
Women's economic equality remains elusive.
- Pay inequity is still the rule. Women only make 71 cents for every dollar earned by a man. Racialized women are at 64 cents and Aboriginal women are at 46 cents.
- Women still do most of the unpaid work in the home, taking care of children and family members, and cuts to public services mean that this workload will increase
- Maternity and parental benefits outside of Quebec are woefully inadequate, and many women have to return to work before the end of their leave because they simply can't afford not to.
- Childcare is either too expensive or not available for many working mothers
- Minimum wage is so low, that women working for that rate are considered “working poor”.
- And the list goes on.
- Back in 1995, the Canadian government announced to the world that it had a “Federal Plan for Gender Equality”. This Plan, presented at the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, promised that the government would embark on a comprehensive strategy to ensure women's economic autonomy and well-being, a reduction in violence against women, and the promotion of gender equality for workers in federal departments and agencies.
- The Canadian government has made several international commitments to achieving women's equality. Canada has endorsed the Beijing Platform for Action that set out an ambitious program for achieving women's equality, and is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women and other important UN instruments.
During the January 2006 election campaign, Stephen Harper signed a pledge:
“I am ready to support women's human rights and I agree that Canada has more to do to meet its international obligations to women's equality. If elected, I will take concrete and immediate measures, as recommended by the United Nations to ensure that Canada fully upholds its commitments to women in Canada.”
The Conservative government has done nothing to advance women's equality
Not only has the federal government NOT promoted a women's equality agenda, it has adopted a series of bad policies that are taking us backwards. In 2006, the federal government:
- Cancelled the federal-provincial child care agreements
- Refused to adopt federal pay equity legislation
- Abolished funding for the Court Challenges Program
- Drastically cut funding for literacy, youth employment programs and workplace skills programs
- Changed Status of Women Canada Women's Program funding criteria, eliminating funding for research and advocacy
- Shut down 12 out of 16 SWC regional offices, cut several jobs, eliminated SWC's Policy research Fund, and more.
In May 2007, the House of Commons Committee on the Status of Women issued a comprehensive report on the impact of the cuts at SWC. It concluded that these cuts will diminish the capacity to advance an equality agenda within the federal government, and weaken the voice of autonomous women's groups. The Committee called for a reversal of these cuts.
The federal government has an important role to play in achieving women's equality. It must be held accountable for its attempts to undermine women's equality.
Achieving women's equality requires, at least:
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Within government - the appointment of a senior Minister responsible for women's equality, and a federal Status of Women department with the leadership, the resources and mandate to advocate for women's equality within government.
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Outside government – federal support for a strong network of women's groups who advocate for women's equality – be it on the front lines, providing direct services to women, or by documenting the situation of women and proposing concrete, systemic solutions to help make women's equality a reality.
Whenever a federal election is called, ask your Member of Parliament and candidates:
How does your party propose to show leadership on the part of the federal government when it comes to women's equality?
Will you reinstate funding for feminist advocacy and research?
Will you reinforce the government machinery that is needed to promote women's equality within government and in Canadian society?
PSAC fully endorses the new national campaign –Equality! Once and For All!– being organized by the Canadian Labour Congress and its affiliated unions and encourages all of its members to actively participate in the campaign activities that will take place across the country over the next year.
Women's equality: long overdue.
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
