Surrey South Liberal has called for a law that will close the wage gap between men and women.

In the legislature Monday, Cadieux 鈥� a South Surrey resident first elected in 2009 鈥� introduced her Equal Pay Certification Act, receiving unanimous support to send the bill for second reading at the next sitting of the House.

Today I introduced a bill to tackle the pay gap. thank you to these ladies for being here to observe

鈥� Stephanie Cadieux (@Stephanie4BC)

鈥淲hichever stat you use, the reality is that women are paid less than men, and the gap exists in every province, major occupational group and has only slightly improved over my working lifetime,鈥� Cadieux told Speaker Darryl Plecas, 鈥渄espite the fact that education levels for women have surpassed men, and the percentage of women in the workforce has grown from 42 to nearly 60 per cent.

鈥淎t the current rate of change, the global economic gender gap won鈥檛 be closed for another 170 years.鈥�

Cadieux cited a 31 per cent difference in earnings between working men and women in Canada, as well as a Price Waterhouse Cooper study that found gender parity in the workplace 鈥渋mproves affordability, workplace culture and the economy as a whole.鈥�

鈥淭he same study estimated that鈥� Canada would likely see a $105 billion growth in GDP if we closed the gap,鈥� Cadieux said.

Cadieux said leadership from legislators 鈥渢o help shift attitudes and behaviours鈥� is key in making gender parity in the workplace a reality.

鈥淎cknowledge that gender stereotypes and subtle sexism are a part of the problem, and challenging the status quo,鈥� she said.

If enacted, the legislation 鈥渨ould require firms to proactively rectify wage gaps on their payroll.鈥�

Applause followed the vote to give Cadieux鈥檚 bill first reading.