Ce communiqu\u00e9 est disponible en anglais seulement.<\/i><\/p>\n
OTTAWA – \u201cThe Federal government must act now and adopt legislation to guarantee pay equity for all women, as was recommended by the Pay Equity Task Force in the excellent report that it tabled today. Current pay equity provisions are just not working. A new legislative framework is necessary\u201d says Andr\u00e9e C\u00f4t\u00e9, for the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL).<\/p>\n
The Pay Equity Task Force recommends the adoption of stand-alone legislation, that will require all federally regulated employers to develop pay equity plans and timetables, and to provide mechanisms that will ensure effective monitoring and enforcement. \u201cPay equity is a human right, and it is time that the federal government set an example to the provinces in promoting women\u2019s equality in the workplace\u201d says Jade Duchesneau Bernier of the Coalition for Pay Equity of New Brunswick.<\/p>\n
While the Canadian Human Rights Act now provides that it is discriminatory to maintain differences in wages between men and women performing woE\u00e9rk of equal value, women must file complaints and engage in lengthy litigation to vindicate their rights. This system has been criticized for years by trade union and by national and provincial women\u2019s groups, by the Canadian Human Rights Commission itself and even by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW). Indeed, in January 2003, CEDAW recommended that Canada \u201caccelerate it\u2019s implementation efforts as regards equal pay for work of equal value\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen in Qu\u00e9bec and in the rest of Canada have been fighting long and hard for pay equity: it is time for the Canadian government to act on it\u2019s constitutional equality obligations, it\u2019s federal plans and commitments for gender equality and it\u2019s many promises towards women\u201d says Andr\u00e9e C\u00f4t\u00e9 of NAWL.<\/p>\n
Michelle Ridgway, of the Prince Edward Island Women\u2019s Network adds \u201cpay equity is one of several necessary measures- along with a sustainable wage, employment equity and affordable childcare- to childcare to ensure that women are equally respected and valued in the labour market.\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe urge all parties to come forward and support the very positive recommendations that were put forward by the Task Force. We are hoping for an immediate response from the Martin government as to it\u2019s commitment to implementing these recommendations in a timely way,\u201d says Jennifer Beeman of the Montr\u00e9al-based Conseil d\u2019intervention pour l\u2019acc\u00e8s des femmes au travail.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an issue that women will surely have in mind when they are called on to vote in upcoming federal elections\u201d adds Andr\u00e9e C\u00f4t\u00e9 of NAWL.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"