When you look at where we were a few decades ago, the Canadian federal government has made great strides when it comes to ensuring more women are employed in the federal public service. Today, women make up 53.7 per cent of the federal public workforce compared to 45.6 per cent in 1990. However, in Canadian society as a whole, women make only 87 cents for every dollar earned by men (Statistics Canada, 2017). This statistic emphasizes that there is still work to be done.
According to the Women Leaders Index report 2016/17, Canada has the highest proportion of female senior civil servants of any G20 country, standing at 46.4 per cent - this is a significant achievement. However, the work needs to continue. Women deserve to be proportionally represented at all levels of government, especially in senior management positions and male-dominated professions.
This year’s International Women’s Day promotes the importance of a gender-balanced world. A gender-balanced workforce is what we at CAPE have always fought for because it is the right thing to do. Women should enjoy fair and equal opportunities of not only becoming public servants, but also for promotions through the ranks of the public service.
On International Women’s Day 2019, let’s promote a gender-balanced workforce!
Greg Phillips
President
