A new report is urging lawmakers not to ignore the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, people of colour, and the LGBTQ+ community.

YWCA Canada and the Institute for Gender and the Economy at University of TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Rotman School of Management on Tuesday released the report, which is titled a B次元官网网址滷eminist Economic Recovery Plan for Canada.B次元官网网址�

While the discussion around economic recovery has been focused on the so-called new normal, the authors say that Canada should not return to B次元官网网址渘ormalB次元官网网址� policies if those policies perpetuated inequality.

For example, the report notes that in the midst of the pandemic, the employment rate declined twice as much for Canadian women in the 25 to 54 age range, compared with men.

The report also says that Black, racialized and immigrant women are much more likely to be personal support workers, cleaners, and work in other B次元官网网址渆ssential but low-paid occupationsB次元官网网址� that lack leave policies.

The report urges governments, and to a lesser extent businesses and charities, to consider eight policy goals that address systemic racism, emphasize good jobs, protect victims of domestic violence, improve funding for small businesses, and promote diversity in the decision-making process.

Those measures will in turn stimulate the economy, it says.

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Anita Balakrishnan, The Canadian Press

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