Yes. In looking at countries that have introduced that, there are currently about 70 countries in the world that have paid paternity leave or shared parental leave. However, the ones that are the most forward-thinking have mandatory parental leave. Finland, Norway, Germany, and even Portugal have a better system than Canada—not that I want to play down Portugal. It requires fathers to take paid parental leave after childbirth, and it offers bonus leave to couples where fathers are home alone.
Can I just emphasize the “home alone” part? This is not meant to be a family vacation for three. This is meant to help fathers to understand and be part of gender equity in terms of involvement.
The beautiful thing that also has come out of it, an unintended consequence, is that the hiring bias in companies has been almost eliminated. If you look at young men and young women who are seeking the same position, she might take maternity leave, but now, both of them have to take parental leave. So the hiring bias has been eliminated too.