I don't know when that study was, but I think it's quite recent.
These numbers are indeed alarming. If I look at a parallel in terms of what's happening in the corporate world.... Look at the FP500, the 500 largest companies in Canada. Female CEOs are about 6% or 7%. I don't think we measure the magnitude of the gender gap in Canada today. It's everywhere, in every sector—entrepreneurship, corporate Canada and big organizations. That is the reality we are facing. Whether they are in large corporations, or whether they are entrepreneurs, women are facing the same obstacles. It's always the same things. There are things that pertain to women. The work we do is to provide them with all the tools so they can up their game, come out of their comfort zone, overcome their fears, pitch, network and be out there.
We can look to the government. Earlier, I had a conversation with Ruth and one of the gentlemen about tooting the horn of Quebec. I think we are definitely a leading province in many things that are instrumental for gender equality. I talked about the importance of legislation. In France, the percentage of women on boards was allowed to go from 12% to 42%, because it was just not accepted by the government. There are sanctions. Board members can lose les jetons de participation. If a board doesn't comply, there are things that can be done. Quebec is the only province in Canada that has the Loi sur la gouvernance des sociétés d'État. Hydro-Québec, Société des alcools and all of our Crown corporations have parity. These boards are 51% women. There are definitely things being done in Quebec.
I think the government's responsibility is huge, because it works. Quebec did things 25 years before the federal government did. It adopted equal pay, with the Loi sur l'équité salariale. It took 25 years for the federal government to implement this, but we've had it in Quebec forever. We had $5 day care. That was under Pauline Marois. Every government, whether Parti Québécois, CAQ or the Liberal Party, has implemented gender things that are very conducive to women's participation in the economy. It's not just about doing the equitable thing. It's because there is so much payback for the economy. When Chrystia Freeland did her budget, it was a feminist budget, because there has been ample demonstration that when we allow women to fully participate in the economy, it's beneficial to all of us, not just women. It's for our society as a whole.
I have one last thing, and we're the only province doing this: When women get married in Quebec, they keep their own last name, which is also a feminist approach you don't have anywhere else in the country. I mean, I'm from Lebanon. Living in Quebec is a dream for someone looking for equity.
There's a lot that can be done and should be done to further support female entrepreneurs.