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Canada's largest women's organization is using the current federal election campaign to highlight the need for a national daycare strategy, a solution to poverty and more affordable housing.
YWCA Canada released its Report on the Status of Women in Canada on Sunday &emdash; it gave Canada a failing grade on efforts to help women reach equality.
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Representatives from various YWCA chapters who were at the news conference hoped the release of the report during election campaigning would be effective.
"With a federal election around the corner, now is the time for political parties to speak to their platforms," said Paulette Senior, YWCA Canada CEO. "We want to remind them that women are also voters."
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The report called on the government to implement pay equity in all fields, create a national poverty-reduction program and adopt a national daycare program &emdash; all problems affecting women right across the country.
"We had an opportunity to have a national childcare program," said Senior. "There are things I'm ashamed of in terms of our performance as a country. Poverty is deepening in pockets across the country."
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The YWCA plans to send the report out to all political parties and politicians later this week.
- reprinted from the Canadian Press