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PAGt 14t WEDNESDAY., NOVEMBER 21, 1979. WEHTBY FREE PRESS Rtpo rtfiromI. Queen'sPark' ~7 B y GEORGE ASIlE, MPP (PC-DURhAM ~WEST) As waikithr aedrmti hnges occurlngi scsytdY# Mot the lesat of wblchin ltii. cianging role «f wommen. la maayinstances, addltlonal responsbgltles have bom forced upon *mnas a resuit ci changlng .clrcum- s tanew'aad attitudes I soclety. For éxample, inflation bas Setd-economlc stresson familles that oana ony. rellv.dtb!ougii the ontributions of a second wage sarner, aisinge Parent fanmlesqt. olten rely on a woman as the sole mean o support. As wellp imaller familles and modm apiances.have reducé the. necSsity for com- tlnuîng« tii.traditional 11e-Urne commitinent of womea hi' keeé>lgtii. borné. The. Impact of these changes la, reflected tlirugiou soclety, and la partlcularly noticeable ithe. labour force. lan196, only 29 per cent of ti. aduit femal, population Of Ontario worked for a wage outle tii. home. Laut year, 52 Per Cent of aduit womeaitusProvince r.celved a wage for work perfrmed oWt"et0fthe home. Nèesiesa sy# botil the labour forceand thi.economy, Are experlenclng conulderable shoocin atteaaptjg to absorb the influx.' Tiiere la no doubti, women are an integral part 0f the. On- tario workforce. ileircniuIn l essential to the. provincial economy% and tbelr commnituient mut b. vlewed as equal té, that of tir mal. co-workers. The. Governaent 0f Ontario la actively provldlng leadersilp h assure i.at- tainaient 0f equallty for women i remuneration, emn- pleyaient.opportunities and conditions of w ork. SSince! 1061, Ontario bas had quai pay legléalatowblcii ensures that female employ.es recelve tiie s«Me rate 0f 'pay as mie employees for bubstaally the. sanie klnd of workt p.rformed-i the.sanie estabilashment, wher. sub- stantlally' the saine skll, effort -and respoasibilty la requlred. However, the. Minlater 0f Labour la aow con- sldering aniendig ths legisiation to prvIde for "dequal pay for.work 0f quai value". Tiiere-are maay subîties surrondlng tilasu., fl ot the. lent 0f wblcii la a true definition for "work ofequal value". Just thi cite one exani- pie, wiio would b. more valuable the iiproutvlty 0f a courler service compaay ... the emplyedrlving the. vebicle or theeniployee keeping the oos The. GovÇ=nent 0f Ontarioeognze tsspeclal responslbility hi, encourage eqlual employment oppor- tunities for women. The. Women's Bureau of thie Mln'stry of Labour bas a mandate. hi work on all issues 0f concen te women ithe. pald labour force. It la partlcularly cômmit- ted toimnating outdat.d attitudes wici hinder equal emploffient opportunities for women. Many omiee at- ttdsare tii. resuit of wldespr.ad mythe, wich if accep mea as valut, erect a seles ci major barriers for womea te ovroi tety are t. gain equal empom t oppor- tunitieso. lb. Provincial Govemament la also comrnltt.d hi con- fiauig its internai goal 0of povldlng equal emloaintOP- portunities for female employees wlthla the publicservice. To tllsend, a pollcy la blng formed for iirng ami promoting based on specllc shilla and knowledge, ratiier than on traditional paper credentials. Mog prlcrlty là it ,b. given th lplemtingtrategles aixedatclOing thiewage gap between womeu and men employed hitth. Ontario Public Service. Terrifie adjustaients mnust b. made wlthin society hi, ac- comodate thei. ciiaglgrole of wemn. 'lb.econosalc and ,social uplieavals tilawlll ceate, dictate that we mut move cautiowaly. Yet the. idividuals and familles involved are, quit. understandably1 anilous for progressive measures hib. taken. Althoug i t does sound ftrite, tiie Govermaent of Ontario la determin.d hi proposa, but wltb cauion MyeIfand my cofleagues are determlned te sou that the rlght tiiing la don., wltii minimal socianad economlc baboc. Assistance or addltional information on women ithie -labour force may b. obtained from thie Women's Bureau of the. Mlalstry 0f Labour i Toronto, at 96&1537.' Don't' besitat. for a minute hi contact theaibecaus. 1 oana asure' you tiieyarea very dedlcat.d group 0f people.