Stephen Harper: Equal Pay Equity
on Saturday, April 30, 2022Stephen Harper Money Quote saying we use terms equal pay and pay equity as if they were the same, when equal work is the core concern. Stephen Harper said:
“Now ‘pay equity’ has everything to do with pay and nothing to do with equity. It’s based on the vague notion of ‘equal pay for work of equal value,’ which is not the same as equal pay for the same job” — Stephen Harper
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In this quote, Stephen Harper is expressing skepticism about the concept of “pay equity” or “equal pay for work of equal value.”
Specifically, he argues that pay equity has more to do with the goal of equal pay than actual equity or fairness in compensation. Harper believes the notion that different jobs requiring similar skills, effort and responsibilities should command the same wages is too vague and subjective a standard.
The best interpretation is that Harper is making the point that only jobs that are truly equal or identical in their duties and responsibilities should receive precisely the same pay. Comparing dissimilar jobs and mandating equal compensation for them based on subjective assessments of comparable value goes beyond the principle of equal pay for equal work, in his view.
Overall, Harper appears to be questioning the practicality and fairness of using “work of equal value” as a legal standard for determining pay discrimination, rather than restricting equal pay to situations where the work itself is exactly the same between male and female employees.
Stephen Harper was a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Some key facts about Stephen Harper:
Harper held a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree in economics from the University of Calgary.
He worked as an economist and policy advisor for the federal Progressive Conservative party before entering politics himself.
Harper was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and helped merge Canada’s Progressive Conservative party with the Western-based Canadian Alliance party.
Harper led the Conservative party to minority government victories in 2006 and 2008 before winning a majority government in 2011, becoming the first Conservative prime minister with a majority since Brian Mulroney.
As prime minister, Harper took a more conservative approach to policies around tax cuts, national security, and the economy. His time in office saw Canada avoid recession during the 2008 financial crisis.
Harper chose not to run for re-election in 2015 and was succeeded as Conservative party leader and prime minister by Justin Trudeau.