As the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in France, Canada’s Sports Minister Kirsty Duncan has expressed her support for the Canadian Women’s National Team’s demand for equal pay. The team is currently in a legal dispute with the Canadian Soccer Association over wages and working conditions, and Duncan has made it clear that she is firmly on their side.
The Canadian Women’s National Team is one of the best in the world, having won two Olympic bronze medals and a fourth-place finish at the 2015 World Cup. Despite their success, the team has long been underpaid and undervalued. In 2017, the team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the Canadian Soccer Association, claiming that they were paid far less than their male counterparts.
In an interview with CBC News, Duncan said that she is “absolutely” in support of the team’s demand for equal pay. She went on to say that she believes that “women should be paid equally for their work, and that includes athletes.” She also noted that the Canadian government has taken steps to ensure that female athletes are treated fairly, such as investing in women’s sport infrastructure and providing funding for female athletes.
Duncan’s comments come at a time when the issue of equal pay for female athletes is gaining more attention. The U.S. Women’s National Team recently filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer, and many other countries are taking steps to ensure that their female athletes are paid fairly.
It is encouraging to see Canada’s Sports Minister take a stand in support of the Canadian Women’s National Team’s demand for equal pay. It is a reminder that we must continue to fight for gender equality in sport, and that we must ensure that female athletes are given the recognition and compensation they deserve.
