TWO STRIKES FOR EQUALITY
Two developments this week illustrate forward momentum for the cause of women’s equality — and a third reminds us there are still potholes along the avenue. First, and most heartening, Canada’s national police force took a huge step toward stamping out bigotry within its ranks Thursday, delivering an unflinching apology for mistreatment of women members that dates back decades. “I stand humbly before you and solemnly offer our sincere apology,” said RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson as the force announced it was settling two class-action lawsuits based on allegations of harassment. “You came to the RCMP wanting to personally contribute to your community and we failed you. We hurt you. For that, I am truly sorry.”
It is to the RCMP’s credit that it is no longer ducking the hundreds of women who have claimed they were bullied, assaulted or harassed while working for the Mounties. Perhaps policing across the country will welcome women — and indeed minorities — with a broader sense of tolerance in future.
The second development was the federal government’s promise of a pay equity bill by 2018. Following up on the report of a special parliamentary committee (headed by Ottawa-West Nepean MP Anita Vandenbeld), the Liberals are aiming, among other things, for a law that puts the onus on employers in federally regulated industries to ensure people are paid equally for work of equal value, regardless of gender. Currently, a federal employee who thinks she isn’t getting fair compensation has to file a complaint, which can lead to a lengthy legal tussle.
Now the third incident — and happily enough, it doesn’t involve Canadians, though one can imagine many parallel scenarios here. We refer to the U.S. vice-presidential debate earlier this week at Longwood University in Virginia, hosted by CBSN anchor and correspondent Elaine Quijano.
During what can only be described as 90 minutes of irritating, interruption-punctured clamour, both Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence either ignored or simply talked over Quijano. Though Pence was the one defending a sexist presidential candidate, Kaine proved equally capable, during the debate itself, of disrespecting a woman sitting at a table a few feet away with him. Both candidates behaved as if snubbing Quijano and ignoring her questions were normal operating procedure.
Grand, symbolic gestures to recognize women, as the RCMP did this week, are important; more modest legislative steps, such as the Liberals propose, are equally significant.
But day-to-day behaviour still reminds us precisely how far society is from any built-in acceptance of equality. Two strikes for progress. One dismaying example of the opposite.