The bonus system is very prominent and common, especially in the private sector. The higher you go up in the company, this is something that can make a significant difference.
We have all heard stories, and the statistics show that women haven't really been raised in a culture of saying, “I deserve a million dollars”, or whatever the bonus. We don't play hockey, in general, so we are not privy to sharing what is common. Sometimes we don't know how to ask; other times we don't have the confidence to. It is a very good idea to have a look, with CRA, to see if we can get a handle on that. We might follow up on that, for sure.
In terms of MS, this is a particularly large problem, especially in the Prairies. We have a very high number of people, most of them women, who have this disease, and it comes and goes. I am very proud to say that part of my mandate is to look at EI and compensation that is much more flexible. If people need to leave, let's hold their position and they will come back. We are definitely looking at opportunities like this, and we'll put that into the mix.
Thank you for your comments.