Alberta Perspective: It is time to revolutionize the definition of work

by Beverley Smith, Calgary Independent Editorialist

This election all parties are looking at homecare, children's care and taxation of the household. That sounds dull but it affects nearly every citizen. It also may be the cusp of a revolution. What is happening is a redefinition of work.

In the 1900's women challenged laws said 'No idiot or woman shall vote'. Ultimately after many petitions and appeals, Canadian women in 1918 could vote.

Similarly women challenged laws that said women were not persons in law, could not sit in the Senate. After several legal appeals in October 1929 women were declared persons and got that right.

Whether women are as competent as men has been a long debate with big hurdles. Laws set up by men, economies set up to value men's work, have been blind to women's roles at home. . Women at home were looked on with pity and tokenism as an obvious lower class. . A small spousal deduction, ,a one day celebration of mothers, a small allowance for a family.

We now have another debate, as big as whether women are idiots, or persons. This is about whether women work, whether roles at home are worthwhile to society and the economy and if these roles are to be encouraged or discouraged.

In the 1960's we only dared define work as what men did and dared to let women do that. But our success there leaves one last hurdle.

This part of the revolution is to redefine work itself.

Income splitting, universal child benefits, caregiver rights, homecare funding are items in the revolution to redefine work.

It's a big task. And yet, in this election Canadians are up for it. We've taken on basic words before. It's how revolutions happen.

Make Comments about this article in The Canadian Blog.

SOCIALIZE: Network with other socially progressive readers.

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Become a Member:

Would you like to see other similar articles and critical commentaries in The Canadian National Newspaper? Then, show your support. Make a member-pledge donation, in support of the Membership Drive of the Pro-Democracy Media Foundation.

The Canadian can only continue to publish investigative articles in such areas, with the donations from members of the public in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. Consider making a donation of $50.00, $75.00, $100.00, $200.00 or more. Donors are eligible to receive our first collector's print edition in mail. Alternatively, you can send us a note to be placed on our special email list of members. Member-donors can also suggest articles or commentaries to be published in The Canadian.

The Canadian is a socially progressive and not-for-profit national newspaper, with an international readership. We provide an alternative to the for-profit commercial focused media, which often censors vital information and perspective of potential interest to the diverse Canadian public, and other peoples internationally.

Become a member of The Canadian, with your donation-pledge. Help support independent, progressive, and not-for-profit journalism.