Mr. Speaker, according to a study done by the Communications Union, the CBC distributes more than $8 million annually to its employees on a completely discretionary basis. This fund, outside of the collective agreement, puts women at a particular disadvantage. The most shocking example is probably that of female announcers, who, even with more seniority, earn $16,000 less than their male counterparts.
Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us if she would go along with being paid a lot less than her male colleagues and what she intends to do rectify this unfortunate situation?