For Immediate Release
17 October, 2022
NL NDP Critic for Women and Gender Equality and MHA for Torngat Mountains is concerned that the Liberal Government does not take gender equality seriously. It is clear that this legislation was rushed.
“They have had since the 1980s when other provinces brought in pay equity legislation to get this legislation right. To say we are disappointed with what’s been proposed is an understatement,” said Evans. “To rush in this legislation and not consult with the Federation of Labour and other stakeholder groups tells us they are not focused on people, and gender equality is not taken seriously by this government. This legislation is set up to fail.”
The NL NDP is frustrated that instead of tapping into any number of stakeholder groups wanting to advance pay equity, the government spent months gas lighting the public. Since an ATIPP on the Minister of Women and Gender Equality’s briefing binder revealed that the department was avoiding implanting the legislation due to costs and potential legal challenges.
“’I’m committed to doing everything I can,’ ‘we’re more focused on getting it right than getting it done quickly,’ ‘…the provincial government has done a tremendous amount,’ these are quotes from the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, the Minister of Labour, and the Minister of Finance,” said Evans. “Today in briefings we were told the legislation we saw today was brought in because they weren’t going to wait to get it right and the legislation could be amended later. Which is it? This government’s consistency of failures continues.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca