Mr. Speaker, today men and women from across Canada have come to Ottawa to tell their government that we are in a manufacturing crisis. We are losing good jobs, jobs with decent pay and benefits, at an alarming rate and women bear the brunt of this crisis.
With diminishing jobs with benefits and more jobs without, women struggle to maintain a work family balance. Instead of making life easier for ordinary families, the government persists in denying women access to employment insurance, adequate maternity and parental leave, a national affordable housing program, affordable regulated child care, and access to training so women do not end up in minimum wage or dead end jobs without benefits.
The crisis is here and now. We need an industrial manufacturing strategy to keep good jobs in Canada. We need benefits for families to ensure a healthy work family balance. It is long past time for government to act.