Madam Speaker, the hon. member is making the point that there ought not to be artificial quotas imposed in order to level the playing field, if you will. I can support that.
We can achieve equity in opportunity without doing that. I fully agree and support several women MPs whom I have heard in the House that they want to be treated and regarded as an equal and that in getting to their spot in this place they sought support on the fact that they were the best candidate, not that they were a woman. I fully support that.
The issue of quotas and pay equity are separable, and I can address it this way. There have been a number of surveys done that would show that a man and a woman doing the exact job, even in some cases in the same firm in the private sector, with the same qualifications were getting a difference in pay. I can let members imagine who was making the lower pay.
My background is education. A woman as qualified as I was when I was teaching with the same years of experience was guaranteed the exact salary. I would not have it any other way. Unfortunately it is not that way in many cases still in this country.
I would share with the hon. member at another time if she wishes some of the studies that prove that sad fact.