Submission to the Gender Wage Gap Steering Committee

In January 2016, LEAF provided a submission to the Gender Wage Gap Strategy Steering Committee in Ontario.

In its submission, LEAF framed the gender wage gap as an issue of women’s human rights.

LEAF observed that the Ministry of Labour’s Background Paper identified discrimination, occupational segregation, caregiving responsibilities, workplace culture and education as “key factors associated with the gender wage gap”. LEAF noted that, while it is analytically important to distinguish these various contributors to the persisting wage gap, they are all interrelated and premised on pervasive gender stereotypes.

LEAF’s submission highlighted the need to understand that the gender pay gap has serious implications for women’s equality throughout their lives, regardless of whether or not it is caused by unlawful discrimination.

LEAF emphasized the need to direct government ministries to undertake a gender-based analysis in designing, drafting, and implementing policies with respect to work. This analysis needed to account for the different forms of discrimination experienced by women who are racialized, Indigenous, low-income, members of the LGBTQ community, aging, impacted by a disability, and/or members of any other marginalized group.

LEAF is grateful for the contributions of volunteers Kristen Pennington, Stephanie Pike, and Maryellen Symons to this submission.

Read and download LEAF’s submission below.