Mr. Speaker, the issue of pay equity affects a large number of women in Canada and Quebec. The issue is one of equity and equality between men and women. Through pay equity, an employer, which includes governments, recognizes the equal value of work done by men and women and, in so doing, enables female employees to reach a standing of living comparable to that of male employees.
However, this government apparently does not want to move on this issue. I have risen in my seat several times to condemn the government's failure to act in this respect. Twice, I asked the president of Treasury Board how he intended to correct the pay inequity existing in Canada's public service. I also asked when the government intended to pay its female workforce the amounts it was granted under a judgment by the Human Rights Tribunal. I was given reassurances but no firm commitment.
On January 20, at the beginning of this Parliament, I was told that this government was most committed to the matter of pay equity and had made a formal commitment to public service employees that it would set an example in this respect. I may recall this was back in mid-January.
On March 8, International Women's Day, I twice condemned the government's failure to act on the issue of pay equity. In reply, the Secretary of State responsible for the Status of Women said: "Women must have a place in the job world, receive equal pay for work of equal value and contribute their fair share to our collective wealth".
She went on to say: "I feel privileged to be part of a government which is determined to accelerate the advancement of economic opportunities for women".
With all her eloquence, the Secretary of State was carefully avoiding mentioning any concrete projects aimed at achieving this goal.
Finally, on April 19, I again tried to get a real answer from the government. At the time, the media had announced that an agreement had been reached by the Government of Quebec with its employees, under which the employer was committed to pay $115 million in various forms of salary adjustments for certain employment categories. I took this opportunity to encourage the Liberal government to follow Quebec's example but to no avail.
The President of the Treasury Board gave me a very brief answer: he used the fact that legal procedures were in process not to answer.
I rise this evening to remind the government how important pay equity is for women. I want to remind the government of its campaign promises. I want to ask this government why it relentlessly carries on legal proceedings which cost $2 million a year according to the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
I want to ask the government when it will stop this shameless squandering of money in the courts and when it will give these amounts to those who need it the most, that is the female employees of the Public Service of Canada.
I want to ask this government when it plans to respect the court orders and to pay back the salaries it owes its employees.
I ask this government to let us know what schedule it has established for honouring its moral and legal obligations towards its employees.