Mr. Speaker, a study just released by the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women indicates that many of our country's middle aged women will be poor when they retire from the workforce.
These women, between 45 and 54, stayed at home to raise children, care for their spouses and in many cases their elderly parents, and volunteered countless hours in their communities. Because they did not enter or re-enter the workforce until their mid-thirties or early forties, their retirement benefits are very low. For these women the future is particularly bleak.
This study comes at a time when the federal government is about to reform the retirement income system. Ironically it is one of the last documents released by the council, its mandate having been ended with the last federal budget. As we well know, the social security reform process is really the Liberals' definition of slash and burn just like the Tories.
It is vital the government seriously take into consideration this very important information when it reviews options for changing Canada's pension system. The women who dedicated a good portion of their lives in caring for others deserve to live their retirement years in comfort and dignity. They do not deserve to be repaid for their service with a ticket to the poorhouse.