Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Barrie on Friday to discuss pay equity and how his Liberal government plans to narrow the gender gap during a visit to Georgian College.
“It’s challenging to make that first change and get that awakening,” Trudeau said, adding there is also a societal shift. “It’s a competitive advantage to bring in more women, but some areas will take longer than others.”
With ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’ scrawled neatly on the blackboard behind him, Trudeau first took part in a roundtable discussion with a group of hand-picked students before moving on to a nearby materials testing lab for a brief demonstration on surveying. He wrapped up his morning with a news conference.
Trudeau’s visit coincided with this week’s federal budget, with the PM highlighting its pay-equity policy.
While young women make up three-quarters of enrolments and graduates in health care (nursing and pharmacare) and education, one area the government is trying to make gains is getting more women into the trades through grant programs.
And according to this week’s budget, women are also over-represented in part-time, temporary and lower-wage jobs, most of which have fewer benefits and only limited opportunities for advancement.
The federal government also wants to see more second parent leaves following the birth of a child, where someone could take five weeks in addition to their spouse providing primary care.
“You’re also making employers stop thinking, automatically, ‘well if I hire this woman, who’s equally qualified as this man, but she’s going to be taking parental leave at one point’, that warps that he’s a better investment,” Trudeau said. “Well, if both of them are likely to take parental leave at one point if they start a family, it removes one of the subtler barriers.”
When it comes to making sure there’s a level playing field, Trudeau said there is currently a complaints-based system, but he wants to see that move to a proactive approach. Larger companies will have to demonstrate, on a regular basis and with independent assessment, that they are examining the structure and different categories, he said.
Students taking part in the roundtable were student association presidents Avery Konda (Barrie campus) and Scott Mason (Orillia campus), as well as Jake Chevrier, Danielle Berezowsky, Haleigh Payne, Nicolette Sorrentino, Michael Gopsill, Ryan Connelly, Victoria Kovatchev and Sarah Long.
In her tourism program co-ops, Berezowsky said she has witnessed gender inequality in the field.
Trudeau used the example of his cabinet, which is split 50/50 down gender lines, and how there was blowback on that move or even the mere idea, particularly somewhere like Parliament Hill where there’s a long history of mostly men in cabinet posts.
“Culture and habits are really hard to shift,” the prime minister said, adding just saying the cabinet would have a 50/50 split “doesn’t mean it’s super easy.”
