Oxfam Canada calls for more action on women’s rights

While Oxfam Canada lauds the Canadian government for “noble intentions” and “some important steps in the right direction,” it says that has not yet translated into meaningful policy and spending decisions. It has issued what it calls a “Feminist Scorecard” to outline the government’s performance.

Positive steps called inspirational

On the positive side, the charitable organization along with many other civil organizations were inspired and impressed when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named as many women as men to his cabinet in 2015, and gave them some of the top portfolios like foreign affairs, justice and labour. They also noted the striking of an inquiry into murdered and missing indigenous women and girls, and increased spending on child care and women’s shelters.

Call for action on poverty, equity

But there are several issues Oxfam says still need to be addressed. “We think that more effort needs to be made to ensure that growth actually benefits men and women equally, and that the government is tackling the issue of women’s poverty in particular,” says Lauren Ravon, Director of policy and campaigns for Oxfam Canada.

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She notes that 60 per cent of minimum-wage earners in Canada are women and that a person can be working full-time at this rate and still not be able to provide for his or her family.  Ravon wants the government to raise the minimum wage for federal workers and to signal provinces and corporations that they must pay a living wage.

Pay equity is another priority. Ravon notes that Canadian women earn 74 cents to every dollar that a man earns. Corporations that operate overseas must be held accountable to meet fair pay and labour standards.

Fighting tax evasion could help fund progress

Meeting such goals will cost money and Oxfam is asking the government to bring in needed revenue by closing tax loopholes and fighting tax evasion. It called for further spending on international aid, saying that this funding is at an all-time low.

Those assertions were made before Trudeau announced his government would spend $$650 million for sexual and reproductive health. That was heartily applauded by Oxfam Canada and other organizations.