Debate on women's issues will likely not be held

Aug. 31 2006

A leaders' debate on women's issues will likely not be held before the September 18 provincial election. Premier Bernard Lord's team has informed the women's groups attempting to organize the debate that he is unavailable.

The Coalition for Pay Equity, the Advisory Council on the Status of Women and the New Brunswick Child Care Coalition had hoped to hold a debate in Fredericton with the three main party leaders.

"This would have been an excellent occasion to learn more about the parties' plans on concerns that are specific to women," said Jody Dallaire of the Child Care Coalition. "Issues such as child care and pay equity are important to a lot of voters."

"We wanted to hear the leaders' answers to questions such as, What will you do to improve the quality of child care? What are you prepared to do about the high cost of child care? How will you bring pay equity to workers in the private sector? " said Johanne Perron, of the Coalition for Pay Equity.

"Given how few female candidates there are in this election, we also need to hear what parties will do to increase the number of women in politics," said the Advisory Council Chairperson Ginette Petitpas-Taylor. "Those questions will have to be asked by voters and media."

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For further information contact:
Jody Dallaire of the New Brunswick Child Care Coalition at 387-8738 or cell 878-8666
Johanne Perron, of the Coalition for Pay Equity at 855-0002.
Rosella Melanson of the Advisory Council on the Status of Women at 444 4101 or 1-800-332-3087.

Background information

Pay equity
Over 70% of NB women are employed in traditional or female-dominated jobs.
In 2005, (Statistics Canada 2006), NB women earned $14.43 per hour and men, $16.84 - a gap of $2.41 or 14.3%.

Child care
While over three-quarters of NB parents work, only 13% of children can access regulated child care. Quality child care remains unaffordable for many families, averaging between $425 and over $500 per month per child. Despite recent investments in child care, New Brunswick spends only $129 per child on regulated child care. The national average is $500 per child.

Women in politics in N.B.
As of Aug. 30, 2006, in the two parties that have completed their selection of 55 candidates, there are 10 Liberal and 8 Progressive Conservative candidates who are women.


Provincial Elections .... Candidates .... Elected MLAs .... Women /total MLAs 1970 ............................. 3 ..................... 1 ............................. 1/58 (2%)
1974 ............................. 13 ................... 2 ............................. 2/58 (3%)
1978 ............................. 13 ................... 4 ............................. 4/58 (7%)
1982 ............................. 19 ................... 4 ............................. 4/58 (7%)
1987 .............................. 31 .................. 7 ............................. 7/58 (12%)
1991 .............................. 52 ................. 10 ........................... 10/58 (17%)
1995 .............................. 47 .................. 9 ............................. 9/55 (16%)
1999 .............................. 46 ................. 10 ........................... 10/55 (18%)
2003 ............................. 34 ................... 7 ............................ 7/55 (13%)