- Women’s equality has not yet been achieved in Canada. Most women in Canada are far from equal in terms of their economic and social security.  For example:

- Women in Canada who work full time earn 71% of what men earn.
- Aboriginal women do not enjoy the same human rights protections as other women in Canada. 
- Critical social supports like legal aid for family law matters are not widely available to women who need them.
- Hundreds of female domestic workers from other countries are brought to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver program without adequate labour protections (i.e. they are forced to live with their employers which often results in abuse and over-work).

- The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the only treaty that Canada has signed that deals specifically with women’s equality rights.

- The UN CEDAW committee has repeatedly told governments in Canada that they are not doing enough to achieve women’s equality. The most recent periodic review of Canada by the United Nations CEDAW Committee (in January 2003) underlined that Canada must do much more to live up to its CEDAW commitments. To this end, they issued 23 recommendations to governments in Canada regarding changes to laws and social programs that affect women. 

- Canada is praised internationally for encouraging other countries to sign and uphold CEDAW. It even encourages some countries receiving Canadian foreign aid to reform their own laws and customs to meet CEDAW standards.

- A credible candidate for election to Canada’s Parliament simply cannot argue with these realities. We are asking that candidates demonstrate their commitment to women’s equality in Canada by signing the pledge card.