Yes, it does.
There are two pieces, two arguments that we make. Number one is that you absolutely need proactive legislation and clear timelines. Ontario and Quebec had timelines for the creation of the plans, for example. There are models out there that demonstrate it doesn't have to be a 20-year laborious process where you're reinventing the wheel every time you appear in front of a tribunal.
Certainly there are the recommendations of the 2004 task force, which I frankly have to say is one of the most complete analyses of pay equity done internationally. It's a phenomenal piece of work, and I hope that the committee doesn't feel it has to turn around and replicate it, because it is so important.
So one aspect is a proactive law. That's a key element, a legislative element.
I do want to mention the importance of transparency. It was recommended in 2004 and echoed by Ms. Fong. The task force called for the posting of pay equity plans and the registration of those plans with a specialized agency. That's a key part of transparency. Recent legislation in the U.K. and the U.S. calling for the posting of wage information within each private sector employer is equally important. That's one aspect, but we do know at the coalition, after 40 years of work, that a single piece of legislation won't close the gap.
In Ontario in 1985, the green paper on pay equity recognized that there was a 38% wage gap with respect to earnings. Since the introduction of Ontario's Pay Equity Act, we're now roughly at 29% or 30% in the province, so we've seen an 8% reduction. That's important, but we know that there needs to be a comprehensive plan with elements including a national child care program, training, and gender-based analysis in all aspects of the government.