Government Actions on Pay Equity to Deliver Progress for the Middle Class in Victoria
News release
November 27, 2018 – Victoria, British Columbia – Status of Women Canada
Across Canada, women still make just 87 cents for every dollar made by men. That is why the Government of Canada is taking long-overdue action to make equal pay for work of equal value a reality. It is just one of the many steps being taken to advance gender equality, grow the middle class, and strengthen the economy for all Canadians.
The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, is in Victoria, British Columbia, today to highlight measures in the Government of Canada's 2018 Fall Economic Statement to advance gender equality and deliver progress for the middle class. This includes implementing proactive pay equity regime for the federally-regulated sector, a historic move that will help close the gender wage gap and ensure more women are fairly compensated for their hard work.
Minister Monsef will start the day by meeting with members of the Canadian Coast Guard to discuss the proactive pay equity legislation that the Government of Canada recently introduced. Last week, Minister Monsef hosted the first ever Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) Forum where she learned about how the Canadian Coast Guard puts GBA+ in action. Today, she will also have the opportunity to tour their facility and hear directly from members about how they are applying GBA+ to improve efficiencies in the design of their ships.
The Minister will then meet with University of Victoria students interested in gender issues to talk about the Government of Canada's transformative social and economic measures to advance gender equality in Canada. In addition to proactive pay equity, she will speak about gender budgeting, proposed legislation to create the Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), and the new EI parental sharing benefits.
During her activities, Minister Monsef will also take the opportunity to highlight some of the new proposed investments in the Fall Economic Statement:
- establishing a Social Finance Fund that will help charitable, non-profit and social-purpose organizations access financing to implement innovative ideas to tackle persistent and complex social challenges;
- creating a British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund to help create good, middle-class jobs in coastal communities;
- supporting Avalanche Canada's efforts to promote awareness and better inform Canadians about the risks that avalanches pose and how to be safe when participating in activities in back-country areas;
- supporting stock assessment and rebuilding efforts for priority Pacific salmon stocks, as well as other priority fish stocks; and,
- accelerating support for business innovation by providing a further $800 million over five years to the Strategic Innovation Fund, which will support innovative investments across the country and in all economic sectors. This includes $100 million to support to the forestry sector.
"Our government's investments are making a real difference in the lives of hard-working middle class families across the country – and we are committed to the work that remains. When Canadian women are valued, when they can count on equal pay for work of equal value, our economy grows stronger, families prosper and communities thrive. The pay equity commitment echoed in the 2018 Fall Economic Statement tabled last week by Finance Minister Bill Morneau makes good on our commitment to help make Canada an equal, generous and sustainable country – a country where every person, regardless of gender, has a real and fair chance at success."
The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C.,
M.P. Minister of Status of Women
