Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Pay Equity Network that is here in Ottawa today.
It has been three years since the release of the pay equity task force report and still no action from the government or the previous government. The NDP has been fighting for proactive pay equity legislation for more than 20 years.
Equal pay for equal work is a fundamental right. Although pay equity is protected in Canada under the Canadian Human Rights Act, it is not a reality for Canadians. In fact, today, women earn only 72¢ for every dollar earned by their male colleagues.
Yet, the government thinks that the status quo is adequate. It is not.
Pay inequity has wide ranging social consequences for all women and their families. It makes women and children more vulnerable to poverty, especially for households headed by women.
It is time that the government acted on the recommendations of the pay equity task force to ensure basic equality and human rights.