Thank you very much for having me.
I am Cara Coté, first vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women, or BPW Canada for short.
I would like to apologize; it sounds as though the topics I'll be talking briefly on today overlap what Ms. Nicolle discussed earlier.
BPW Canada’s mission is to develop the professional and leadership potential of women in Canada through education, awareness, advocacy, and mentoring within a supportive network.
I have selected four key issues that I believe need to be addressed to improve the economic status of Canadian girls.
First is rising unemployment rates for Canadian youth. It's getting harder and harder for young people to find available jobs, as the older generation is staying in the workforce longer than anticipated. Young people constantly find themselves in the vicious circle of not being able to get a job because they don’t have experience, and not having experience because they can't get a job.
As a business owner in the technology industry, I was surprised to see the lack of programs that would encourage hiring youth. In the last few years I've seen only one internship program that would pay a portion of wages for a new youth employee, and only on the condition he or she would be returning to full-time studies.
Second is being paid equal wages for the same work as men. This is definitely not a new subject, and since this is a status of women committee meeting, I’m likely preaching to the choir on this one. Today women in Canada, on average, are required to work fourteen and a half months to earn the same income that a male would earn in twelve months. If a girl is already having trouble finding a job, imagine how frustrating it must be to receive a lower wage than an equal counterpart. We do have March 18 recognized as Equal Pay Day, but with little progress being done to narrow the wage gap—more needs to be done.
This also boils down to negotiating salary. Salary negotiation needs to be included in the curriculum for students, at least in secondary school. Also, it is difficult for any young person to think about negotiating a salary when that person feels lucky just to get a job in the first place. That barrier needs to be removed.
Third is supporting girls who get non-traditional jobs in keeping them. Girls successfully acquiring jobs in trades and technology have yet another hurdle—keeping up with the boys' club. If a girl has to fight to get a job and constantly has to deal with harassment and discrimination, there is no reason for her to stay. Companies need to address the fact that the workforce is changing and that serious policy changes need to be made. With just a small percentage of women in management roles within these companies, change will be very slow on its own.
Fourth is to start mentorship at an early enough age. Providing role models and opportunities at a young age can make a big impact. We have a perfect example right in Canada of an incredibly successful program: hockey. They start very young, and they have skilled coaches and superstar role models to look up to. Instead of waiting until high school to approach girls to think about their careers, we should be starting when they are learning to read and write. Maybe it’s time to promote those unsung females who make big changes. These mentors could help encourage young girls to get involved in sports or club activities, and to be mentored to take on leadership roles in these areas. This would also combat the decline in social skills in the younger generations who are becoming so dependent on technology.
These four issues are definitely not the only challenges for girls in Canada, but I chose to speak on them today because of how BPW is involved with them. BPW Canada has taken up the challenge to advance and empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and civil society through the women’s empowerment principles project, or WEPs.
Originally launched by the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the United Nations Global Compact on March 8, 2010, the WEPs program is finally starting to get its footing internationally.
The seven WEPs principles, and subsequently our recommendations, are as follows: establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality; treat all women and men fairly at work; respect and support human rights and non-discrimination; ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all women and men workers; promote education, training, and professional development for women; implement enterprise development, supply chain, and marketing practices that empower women; promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy; and measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality.
We think implementing these WEPs principles would solve the four key issues that I discussed. Promoting awareness with our government representatives, and business and civil society leaders, and having them sign the statement of support would be a great start. This statement can be found on our website at bpwcanada.com.
That's it from me. I appreciate the time you gave me to speak to you today. Again, on behalf of BPW Canada, thank you.