LETTERS CONTENTS Feminist Cartoonists, Dear Friends: Canadians Receptive to We find the material in your Artists, illustrators, NAC’s Views publications very informative and Secretary of State Hearings certainly are a guide for actions Federal Budget against discriminatory practices Photographers!! Hansard Summary that Canadian women still face. We are pleased to see the emphasis REGIONAL REPORTS on action needed against the nuclear Regional Roundup threat and for world peace, as Feminist Action needs you! Newfoundiand/Labrador that is essential if women are to Quebec achieve equal rights in all spheres Send wus copies of your cartoons. Northern Ontario of life. graphics, photographs, iliustrations Manitoda and possibie cover ideas. Alberta/ Provincial Womens Committee Northwest Territories Association of We are unabie to South—Central! United Ukrainian Canadians submitted. We pay British Columbia Winniper, Manitoba niaterial We use. necotiable. Thank you! COMMITTEE REPORTS Employment Dear Friends: Please send to: Prostitution I wish to continue my member- Maxine Hermoli Health ship in NAC and receive your very Publications Coordinator Committee to Support interesting and inspiring materials. NAC, 344 Bloor St. WV’. #505 Native Women loronto, Ont. MSS JW9 Mary Kardash, Therese Casgrain Winnipeg, Manitoba. Commemorative Prize Events*Hesources*Contacts NATIONAL ACTION COMMIT TEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Coming May & - 11, 198/ fave Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario COMING OF AGE: NAC - FROM YESTERUAY (QO [TOMORROW NATIONAL ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Vol. 2, No. 4 1986-87 EXECUTIVE April 1987 PRESIDENT Louige Dulude Ottawa, Unt. Feminist ACTION is published eight YAS PHES TDERN'T' Chaviva Hosexk Toronto, Ont. VICE PRESIDENTS Marjorie Cohen Toronto, Ont. times a year by the National Action Jon Leah Hopkings Whitehorse, Yukon Committee on the Status of Women, Wendy Williama St. John’s, Nfld. 344 Bloor St. W. Suite 505, loronto, SECRETARY Trudy Richardson Edmonton, Alita. Ontario M5S ]1W9 TREASURER Donna Stepnania Winnipeg, Man. (416) 922-3246 REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES NEWEFOUNDLAND/LABRADOR Sugan McConnell St. John’s, Nfid. ISSN 0831-3377 N.i./N.5-/ PF. bel. Deborah Foff Halifax, N.S. QUEBEC Madeleine Parent Montreal, Que. Editor. Pat Daley Iain Peters SOUTHERN ONTARIO Toronto, Ont. Publications NORTHERN ONTARIO Diane Cyr Hearst, Ont. Co-ordinator: Maxine Hermolin MANITOBA Jeri Bjornson Winnipeg, Man. SASKATCHEWAN Paima Anderson Regina, Sask. Translation: Gilbert Bélisje ALBERTA/N.W.T. HRebecca Coulter Edmonton, Alita. SOUTH CENTRAL Jane Evans Armatrong, B.C. We welcome your announcements NORTHERN 38.C./Y UAON Caro; Sabo ‘Lerrace, and local news. However, we regret that unsolicited manuscripts cannot MEMBERS AT LARGE Rarbara Cameron Toronto, Ont. Lorraine Greaves Lonaon, Ont. He returned. Pat Israel! Toronto, Ont. Fleurette Osborne Hamuiton, Ont. Noslle—Dominique Wiliems Montreal, Que. Cover: Gaik Gekinet feminist ACTION Canadians receptive to NAC’s views, poll shows Canadians are very receptive to the arguments to succeed. the prairie region is an exception: survey raised by the National Action Committee on the Status respondents from these provinces were more likely to of Women on issues affecting women in the workforce. think the current situation is about right. This "general such as pay equity and access to quality care, perception” item is one where Canadians’ attitudes do according to an Angus Reid/Southam News Poll con- ducted in January. At the same time, however. the vary by their gender. Just under one-half (49%) of the public shares many of the concerns raised by REAL women participating in the poll thought more needs to be women with respect to the impact which women working done compared to slightly less than onethird (31%) who has had on family life and on children. These are the think the status quo is fine. Among men, the picture is major findings which emerged from a national survey about the reverse: 45 per cent said the status quo is fine conducted between January 10 and 13, 1987 among a compared to 35 per cent who think more needs to be representative cross-section of 1667 Canadians. done. For both sexes, only I> per cent of those polled Conducted by Angus Reid Associates on behalf said the women's movement nas gone too far. of Southam News, the poll suggests that, although It 1S across age groupings that a real difference many Canadians see negative societal effects accruing of opinion is in evidence. Younger Canadians (age 18 from the increasing number of women in the workplace, to 34) were more likely to believe that more needs the public is generally prepared to support enhancing to be done than they were to express satisfaction Or ensuring equal opportunity in our society. On bal- with the current situation (48% compared to 41%). ance, it would appear that Canadians have embraced Canadians aged 35 to 54 were also more likely to women in the workplace and not in the home as some- believe more needs to be done but this middle-aged thing of a “necessary evil". group was twice as likely as their younger counterparts One of the most remarkable findings which- tO say that changes in the role of women have gone emerged from the Angus Reid/Southam News Poll is too far (15% compared to 8%). Further analysis shows the existence of a profound generation gap on the that a slim majority of younger (55%) and middle- whole issue. Younger Canadians are very supportive aged women (52%) want to see more progress made of NAC's positions while older Canadians’ views are while men in these age groupings tend to favour the closely reflected in the positions taken by R.E.A.L. Status quo. Among Canadians over 55, there was a women and those of middle-aged Canadians fall some- division of opinion as to whether more should be where in the middle of the two ends of the spectrum. gone or the current situation is okay and fully 24 (it will be important to note that 4 in 10 adult Cana- per cent of this group (27% of older women) expressed dians are between the ages of 18 to 34 while the concern that changes had gone too far, fully three middle-aged grouping comprises one-third of the adult times aS many than was the case for respondents in population and Canadians aged 55 and over only one- the youngest age grouping. quarter). Age and not gender is what makes the big difference in Canadians’ attitudes towards the role of The Home or the House of Commons? women. Indeed, one 1s surprised by how little attitudes There is no consensus in Canada with respect on the role of women vary by Canadians’ sex. to whether a woman's place is in the home or in the riouse of Commons; instead, Canadians appear to support How far has the women’s movement come?” seeing our society help women do what they choose Canadians may not be convinced that more needs tO do. Respondents were asked whether they think to be done to advance women’s rights but few would our society should give more priority to helping women argue that the women’s movement has taken us too who want to pursue careers or to helping women far. Respondents were asked what they thought about who want to stay home and raise a family. The single how tar we've come in giving women an equal oppor- largest group of respondents gave a third answer: 43 tunity to succeed in Canadian society: the single per cent of those polled volunteered (i.e.: unprompted largest group (42%) said they think more needs to be response) that our society should be helping both done in this regard while a group nearly as large career women and those who choose to stay home. (35%) expressed satisfaction with the status quo. Only Thirty per cent of the Canadians polled said we should I> per cent of those surveyed believed that the "chan- be helping women who wish to stay at home compared ges in the role of women have gone too far’. to 22 per cent who would like to see higher priority Opinions on how far the women’s movement has given to women who want to pursue a career. gone vary across sub-groupings of the population. Regionally, the results for most areas of the country Concerned about Impact on Family, Children reflect the national picture with the largest single Canadians have some _ significant reservations group, though never a majority, saying that more about the impact that women in the workplace has needs to be done to give women an equal opportunity April 1987/1 Canadians receptive to NAC’s views in the workforce as a reality and, as such, recognizes had on both family life and children. Just under one a need to ensure equal opportunity. The significant half (45%) of respondents said they believe that the reservations described above would suggest that the increase in working women has had a bad effect on phenomenon is not greeted with great enthusiasm on family life compared to 27 per cent who believe the the part of many Canadians but as something of a effect has been a positive one and 20 per cent who "necessary evil.” don’t think the development has made a difference to Ciose to two-thirds of Canadians believe that family life. "sovernments should provide funding to ensure that Quebecers are the most positive about the effect everyone who wishes to use quality day care can do of working women on family life - 34 per cent said so’ compared to only one-third who disagree. Ihe it has had a good effect - although even here the results of the poll show widespread support tor govern- single largest group (44%) described the development ment funding of day care - a majority of survey as a bad one as far as family life is concerned.