Statement made on 10 March 2009 by Senator Maria Chaput
Hon. Maria Chaput:
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. The population of Canada is over 33 million, of whom 16.7 million are women.
In 2008, nearly 6 million women were working full-time, and more than 2 million were working part-time.
Over the past 25 years, the labour force participation rate of women with children has risen sharply, with 64 per cent of women with children under the age of 3 holding a job in 2006. That is twice as many as in 1976. In 2006, 69 per cent of women whose youngest child was between the ages of 3 and 5 were gainfully employed or self-employed, as compared to 37 per cent in 1976.
The number of working single mothers has also risen significantly in recent years; it rose by 20 per cent between 1995 and 2006. In addition, the majority of working women continue to work in traditionally female jobs, jobs requiring long hours of work, with little or no flexibility.
In 2009, women are increasingly seeking to balance work and family life. However, in 2009, women are having a hard time finding affordable, quality child care services. And even in 2009, women still have to insist on the right to equal pay for work of equal value.
Could the Leader of the Government in the Senate tell us why the government is not supportive of women?
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