Last week, the Summa team looked at the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women and how the federal government’s pandemic response will be viewed through the lens of gender-based analysis. Beyond support for victims of domestic violence and vulnerable women experiencing homelessness, gender has not played a huge role in the federal emergency response to date. This will likely change in the months to come.
The impact of coronavirus on women is twofold. First, Canadian data shows that more women than men are testing positive for COVID-19. They are also disproportionately dying from the illness in all parts of Canada, which is inconsistent from the data in other countries. Second, women are more likely to have become unemployed than men. The sectors that women tend to work in, like retail and hospitality, have been hit particularly hard. The longer this crisis plays out, the more women stand to be laid off or lose their jobs permanently. Those that do return to their place of employment may also do so later than men – at least based on current economic reopening plans.
Women with children have even more to consider in weighing a return to work, as the availability and safety of childcare remains unknown post-COVID. Anecdotally, some women intend on extending their maternity leave in order to care for their children, given that the resumption of daycare and schools in many provinces may be still months away. For many others, this simply isn’t an option. This leaves them either unable to return to work or left trying to juggle both job and children.
This dilemma has the Trudeau government thinking about how they could play a larger role in childcare infrastructure across the country. In the last federal election, the Liberals committed to creating hundreds of thousands of new childcare spaces. They stopped short, however, of committing to universal childcare which has been an NDP policy for some time. As the need for childcare space and affordability comes into focus, the so-called “she-covery” may result in an enhanced childcare policy from the Trudeau government. Though it’s not yet clear which direction the Liberals will go, they’ll have to work closely with the provinces as childcare remains provincial jurisdiction. It’s likely to be a long road to reach consensus on childcare, given the political dynamics in each province.
Women lead key portfolio’s driving the Government of Canada’s response to the pandemic, including Deputy PM and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Employment and Skills Development Minister Carla Qualtrough. Women should lead the policy making in this critical area and expect Prime Minister Trudeau to continue to lean on their experience and advice.
What is clear is that the notion of social infrastructure as core to Canada’s economic “she-building” is a key consideration for our decision-makers. The view that childcare can be an economic stimulus seems to be gaining momentum.
From this writer’s vantage point as a mom, there is certainly merit to this approach. I am also fortunate to be one of the lucky ones who remains in the workforce during this unprecedented time.
