By: Caroline Andrew
Published on: August 14, 2014
On Aug. 15, 1984, Brian Mulroney, Ed Broadbent and John Turner sat down together at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto to tell Canadians how their policies would impact women’s lives. As the chair of the political science department of the University of Ottawa at the time, I was invited to moderate the debate.
Looking back, I am proud to have been part of that important moment in Canadian history. I have seen a lot change for women over the last 30 years, but remarkably many of the issues the leaders debated then — including child care, pay equity, violence against women, and women’s role in global peace and security — continue to be just as pressing today as they were back in 1984.