Prince Edward Island

Legal and other measures adopted since the third report

209. In 1992, the Prince Edward Island Government passed the Employment Standards Act. This Act contains several provisions which address discrimination against women. The Act contains provisions for maternity leave up to 20 weeks, followed by a requirement for reinstatement upon expiration of the leave in the same or a similar position. It is also required that there be no loss of seniority or pension benefits as a result of maternity leave. Similar provisions apply to parental leave.

210. The Employment Standards Act requires employers to provide an employment environment free of sexual harassment. All employers must establish a policy with regards to sexual harassment in the workplace and to ensure that all employees within the workplace are aware of that policy. The Act specifies certain elements which must be contained in the sexual harassment policy.

211. In the third report of Canada, this province reported the passage of the Pay Equity Act in 1988. At that time, the differential between wages paid for male and female full-time employees of Prince Edward Island was the lowest of any province in Canada, with women making 70.3 percent of the wage of men. The steps required to implement pay equity in the public sector under the Pay Equity Act have been completed, although there are a number of wage adjustments still to be made over the next few years. Wages for full-time employed women now stand at 80.8 percent of that of males in Prince Edward Island and this increase is likely largely attributable to the pay equity process.

Actual progress made to promote and ensure the elimination of discrimination against women

212. Prince Edward Island elected the first women Premier in Canada in 1993. The Premier is joined in the Legislature by a female Leader of the Opposition and has selected women as Speaker of the Legislature and Deputy Speaker. In addition, the Queen's Representative in this province, the Lieutenant Governor, during the period of this report, has been a woman. This is indicative of increased public participation by women in the affairs of this province and particularly at the very highest levels in our political structure.

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213. Prince Edward Island has traditionally included in this report the participation rates for women in various positions in public life and what follows is an update of that table. .

WOMEN IN VARIOUS POSITIONS IN PUBLIC LIFE ON P.E.I. - 1994
Total positions Total women in positions Percentage of total
Member of Legislature 32 8 25%
Provincial Cabinet Ministers 9 1 11.1%
Provincial Deputy Ministers 9 2 22.2%
Mayor/Chair of
Municipal Council 		89 13 14.6%
Member of Municipal Council (other than Chair) 479 107 22.3%
Chair of School Board 5 3 60.0%
Member of School Board (other than Chair) 67 22 32.8%
Supreme Court Justices* 8 1 12.5%
Provincial Court Judges* 3 0 0%
TOTAL 701 157 22.4%

* In this report, we are adding the last two categories, although persons are appointed to these positions, rather than elected.

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Remaining obstacles

214. As has been previously reported, therapeutic abortions are not available at any health facility in Prince Edward Island. Although available to women with the costs covered by the Province of Prince Edward Island, such services must be obtained in another province.

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