Canada’s women footballers’ fight for better working conditions continues, with equal pay being just the first milestone.
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Given the lack of cooperation from the federation, captain Christine Sinclair remains strategic.
A collective agreement proposal was submitted by Canada Soccer earlier this month but was not accepted. This includes, in particular, the remuneration of 3,500 US dollars per game – as much as for men – and the fair distribution of the purse for international competitions. Despite this progress, most of the women’s message went unheard.
“It’s important to know that our demands go well beyond just pay,” Sinclair said Wednesday on an episode of the Laughter Permitted podcast. Pay equity for our association is simple. They accepted very quickly. That’s not what’s wrong now. It’s funding programs, youth programs, hiring of staff. Yes, we have the same wages, but not the same opportunities to earn money.
According to Sinclair, the selection of women has proven its worth in recent years, and their struggle is just as justified as that of Americans, who have been treated fairly with their male colleagues since 2022.
For the world
The Women’s World Cup is fast approaching, scheduled for July, and Canada’s women’s preparation could be affected. The maple leaf will be among the favorites after winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
“We’re not asking about the moon here,” said the tall attacker. We’ve only just begun to charge as much as the men were getting as they prepared for their World Cup – whether in terms of travel standards, staffing, things as simple as equipment, even in terms of youth programs.
“What happened with us is that our men’s team finally found success. For a long time we were treated the same as our men – you know, equally bad – but at least we were equal. But that’s where our men qualified for their first World Championship in 36 years and we’re giving them the moon,” Sinclair added.
For the 39-year-old top scorer in international football history, it is this battle she is now fighting with her team-mates that could have repercussions for the next generations, of which she is most proud.
On a sporting level, the national team will play a friendly against France on April 11th. Quebecers Gabrielle Carle, Lysianne Proulx, Bianca St-Georges and Evelyne Viens were invited to this meeting at Le Mans by coach Bev Priestman.