NDP: TIME FOR PAY EQUITY IS NOW

OTTAWA — Canada’s New Democrats will introduce an opposition day motion urging the federal government to do everything it can to tackle the unacceptable wage gap between men and women.

“It’s 2016, and there’s no excuse for the fact that women in Canada continue to make substantially less than men,” said NDP Status of Women Critic Sheila Malcolmson (Nanaimo—Ladysmith). “Canada is lagging far behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to pay equity. That’s why New Democrats are putting forward an opposition day motion to take action to address this problem. ”

The NDP opposition day motion would recognize pay equity as a right, and appoint a special committee to conduct hearings and put forward a plan to implement a proactive federal pay equity regime.

“For decades, in the face of Liberal and Conservative governments, the NDP has pushed for pay equity. Now is the time for quick action so that we can remove this unacceptable inequality that has persisted for far too long,” said NDP Deputy Labour Critic Karine Trudel (Jonquiere). “Working together, we can, and must, finally achieve wage equality for women.”

Women working full time, year round, in Canada make only 77% of what men earn for equal work. The World Economic Forum ranks us at 80th out of 145 countries.