NDP: Liberals dragging their feet on economic justice for women

OTTAWA – The Status of Women Committee was supposed to meet on Tuesday but that meeting was cancelled; the latest example of how the work to address the economic insecurity facing Canadian women is being slowed down, says NDP Status of Women critic Sheila Malcolmson (Nanaimo-Ladysmith).

“We’ve heard from an overwhelming number of experts saying the same thing: We must act now to address the economic barriers holding women back,” said Malcolmson. “A key test of Prime Minister Trudeau’s feminist agenda will be whether he immediately implements the NDP’s concrete measures to ensure that Canadian women do not fall further into precarious work and poverty”.

Malcolmson had planned to table an interim report to the Committee, but in its absence chose to release it to the public. The NDP report outlines a number of recommendations including a national childcare program, pay equity legislation, paid leave for victims of domestic violence, and measures to address increased poverty amongst older Canadian women.

“It’s becoming even clearer that after nearly two years, the Trudeau government’s feminist rhetoric fails to deliver concrete changes for women,” said Brigitte Sansoucy, critic for Families, Children and Social development (Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot). “Women aren’t a special interest group; they are half of our population and the Liberals should start acting like it.”