Equal partners in Canada’s future

Re. “Malcolm Mayes cartoon,” March 1

As a Canadian woman, I believe there are legitimate feminist criticisms of the recent federal budget and the tendency of governments to embrace symbolic equality but fall short on action on equity.

However, that does not mean that gender is an irrelevant distraction from the economy.

Women’s economic participation plays an important role in the health of our country, with a McKinsey Institute report noting that provincial action on gender equity in the workplace could increase GDP by four to nine per cent.

I am particularly troubled by the coding of the economy as male and gender as female.

Women are economic participants and constitute approximately half of the Canadian population.

Men also have a gender, and gender-based policy analysis should consider all genderedpolicy effects, both positive and negative.

While I respect the role of the editorial cartoonist, this image represents a regressive view of women’s role in Canadian society.

We are not simply sexy distractions to the economic health of the country; we are equal participants in our shared national future, and our governments’ budgets should consider us all. Bridget Stirling, Edmonton