Our arguments were the following: according to Statistics Canada, small business is the fastest growing segment of the business sector in Canada. Within this sector, the growth of women-owned businesses is the fastest growing, with women launching businesses in Canada over the past decade at a rate twice that of men.
The growth in the number of women-owned businesses has been phenomenal. The Prime Minister's Task Force report stated at the time, that is in 2003, that there were 821,000 women who owned businesses or were self-employed.
Yet challenges remain. Women who are self-employed or own 40% or more of a business do not have the option of contributing to the EI fund. Therefore they cannot access EI benefits such as maternity and parental leave. Many women, including our BPW members, often feel forced to make a choice—the business or a baby.
Ironically, many women entrepreneurs do contribute to the EI Fund on behalf of their employees who then have access to such benefits, while they do not.
Women entrepreneurs are a major economic force in this country, creating jobs and contributing to economic growth. The Government of Canada needs to recognize the contribution of women who own their own businesses and find a way to rectify this situation.