Gender Inequality in Canada - By: Marta Zych

Despite thirty years of feminist activism and much social change, almost every important political, social, cultural, and economic institution is still dominated by men.  Studies show that women make less money than men even when they do the same or similar work, and it is mostly the women who take care of children and the housework, even in families where both husband and wife work full-time.[1]

Throughout Canada’s history, much legislation has been passed to ensure equality of gender.  Although today’s laws ensure equality of rights and equal opportunity for women, one sees discrimination based on gender on a regular basis.  Although females obtain “greater education and [have] employment opportunities, women [are still] financially disadvantaged; in addition to lower wages, women [are] shut out of many jobs simply by virtue of their sex. Social norms…press women towards a domestic life of marriage and motherhood.”[2]  Even today, there exists a division of labour, with men tending to the public sphere, which includes political and economic policies and affairs, and with women in the private sphere, which includes the home, family or social policies and affairs.[3]  Thus, men are more inclined to support policies related to economics and politics while women are more likely to support social policies.

Canada is a nation that seeks equality for all its citizens.  Laws, such as the one in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms section 15 and 28, provide the citizens with equality based on gender. Some of the rights include reproductive rights, workplace equality in recruitment, promotion, compensation, division of labour within the family, recognition of household labour, the improved statutory provisions regarding family violence, child support and child care. Yet even with such significant laws, not all citizens are treated equally.

Literature that examines this point of view includes Rand Dyck’s text entitled Canadian Politics: Critical Approaches.  It demonstrates that women experience differential treatment in many fields such as jobs, wages and household labour.  It states that about 70% of women of working age are now in the labour force, and women constitute 46% of the labour force.  Thus employment is an issue of concern for many.[4] Women make up 70% of part-time workers.  They have fewer benefits and less secure jobs.

Employment equity, which is the elimination of discrimination in hiring and promoting, was established by law, yet women occupy only 23 % of executive jobs and make up only 16% of those earning $100,000 or more (1997).[5]  Women are underrepresented in top private corporations.   A 1999 survey which shows that of the top 500 industrial companies in Canada only 13 women hold the position of chief executive officer and only 7.5% are on the boards of directors.  Females represent only 27% of all doctors, dentists and other health treating professionals.[6]  More than two-thirds of all employed women work in such female-dominated job categories as nursing and clerical jobs.[7]  In the 1996 census, the ten most popular jobs for women included retail salespersons, secretaries, cashiers, registered nurses, accounting clerks, elementary schoolteachers, food servers, general office clerks, babysitters and receptionists.[8]  These jobs are generally low paying, and opportunities for promotion are close to zero.  Despite changes in the workplace, the vast majority of working women continue to hold traditional ‘female jobs’.  Stats Canada found that women remain a significant minority among professionals employed in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics, holding only 19% of jobs in those fields.[9]

Pay equity, or equal pay for equal work, is yet another major concern of those who seek equality in the work force.  Although pay equity legislations have been passed, in 1996 women’s full time earnings were 73 % that of men’s.[10]  Maclean’s found that in 1993 the average annual income of women over the age of 15 was $16,500, 58 % of the average income of men, which was $28,600.  Moreover, in the same year women employed on a full-time, full-year basis earned an average of $28,392, 72 per cent of the figure for males.[11]  Furthermore, they constitute a disproportionate share of the country's low-income population.[12]

As a result, working women must cope with the demands of both family and career.  In 1992 women preformed 2/3 of unpaid work, such as household maintenance, care giving and volunteer work.  On average, women spend approximately 29 hours per week on household work; almost double that of men.[13]  Although this is a major improvement from the past, many women would still like to see males being more involved in household tasks.[14]

Many times a distinction is made between the public and private sphere.  The public sphere is concerned with politics and the economy – affairs that occur on the macro level.  The private sphere is concerned with all micro affairs, which include the home and the family.[15]  Historically, there is a sex division: men are usually appointed to the macro level where as women make up the majority of the micro level.  The difference between men and women in social attitudes and policy preference is based on different fundamental values.  Women are more motivated than men for ‘expressive’ reasons such as service, and less than men for ‘instrumental’ reasons such as the personal acquisition of power.[16]  By ensuring that women get into the public or macro sphere (by providing women with an opportunity for work placements that are the normally accepted male jobs, such as in politics) we create a smaller gap between the two genders.  Also, we help to decrease this gap by encouraging males or giving them a chance to be more active in the private or micro sphere (this could include nursing and household tasks).

With regard to politics and policies, “women are less inclined than men to choose violent options on issues of foreign or domestic force, more inclined to take pro-social welfare positions and, depending upon the issue, more inclined to support feminism and equality policies.”[17]  This type of thinking leads to women further pursuing their lives being more involved in the private spheres.  Education in parts can help to solve this problem.  As stated by Joanna Everitt, higher level of education among women is likely to augment levels of political participation, political interest and efficacy, greater support for non-traditional roles for women, greater support for social services and a heightened gender consciousness.[18]  More women in the paid labour force represent another significant development.  Employment outside of the home has been linked to women's levels of political participation and sense of political efficacy as well as higher voter turnout.  Women's paid employment is also correlated to liberal or feminist attitudes toward sex roles and equality issues, and more resentment of women's lower wages, chances for advancement, job security and other working conditions. [19]

© Copyright 2003 Laurier Journal of Political Affairs. Last update: 3/6/03; 4:57:27 PM.