Bill 183

Bill 1832000

An Act to establish

real equality for women

in the Province of Ontario

and to provide the

essential benefits required

to promote equal access

to opportunity

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Equality for women

1. In order to establish real equality for women in the Province of Ontario and to provide the essential benefits needed to promote equal access to opportunity for women, the Government of Ontario shall,

(a)move towards the reality of pay equity with equal pay for equal work as outlined in existing legislation;

(b)ensure that existing laws are complied with;

(c)introduce one-year paternity leave for new parents;

(d)address the problem of violence against women and implement the emergency measures introduced by the Cross-Sectoral Violence Against Women Strategy Group;

(e)reinvest in the essential services for women such as health care, counselling, legal aid, neighbourhood and community supports, emergency shelters, crises lines and second stage housing; and

(f)promote equality of women in Ontario so that gender, race, ethnicity, economic status or educational attainment do not provide a barrier to employment opportunity.

Commencement

2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3. The short title of this Act is the Women's Equity Act, 2000.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The purpose of the Bill is to establish real equality for women in the Province of Ontario and, to provide the essential benefits needed to promote equal access to opportunity for women, the government of Ontario should, (a) move towards the reality of pay equity with equal pay for equal work as outlined in existing legislation; (b) ensure that existing laws are complied with; (c) introduce one-year paternity leave for new parents; (d) address the problem of violence against women and implement the emergency measures introduced by the Cross-Sectoral Violence Against Women Strategy Group; (e) reinvest in the essential services for women such as health care, counselling, legal aid, neighbourhood and community supports, emergency shelters, crises lines and second stage housing; and (f) promote equality of women in Ontario so that gender, race, ethnicity, economic status or educational attainment do not provide a barrier to employment opportunity.