The federal government’s proposal to extend parental leave to 18 months will negatively affect gender equality, says Queen’s University law professor Kathleen Lahey. In an interview on CBC’s 180 radio show, Lahey explained, “it has been demonstrated through very careful econometric research that once a woman has left her paid job for any purpose for 14 or more months, she will never regain the same level of income, or chances of promotion or job security, or pension security that she would have otherwise realised.”
