Affirmative action must be integrated into Skills Development Leave legislation to overcome both long-term inequality and the new threats posed by micro technology and the current recession. Mandatory affirmative action programs as an integral component of Paid Skills Development Leave policy cannot be avoided if justice is to be achieved. It is pointless for government to ask industry, in a competitive situation, to voluntarily take on affirmative action in this context, or any other context, because this is seen as providing an economic advantage to others who do not volunteer. The futility of "voluntary affirmative action" has been proved by the total inability of the federal government's Affirmative Action Directorate to effect even one voluntary program by any private employer to help working women, despite three years of work.

Legislated positive measures, on the other hand, are effective. In West Germany, for example, the number of trained, skilled women has doubled since the introduction of a highly flexible system of vocational training for women. 44 "Doubled," in the Canadian context, would still be retrogressive, but it is a hopeful note.

What women in Canada need and require is the full participation in order to make up 50% of ALL training programs under Skills Development Leave provisions. Otherwise, women's employment situation will continue to deteriorate. at enormous social and personal cost. By positive measures we mean taking sex into account in making any decision about Skills Development Leave so as to remedy discrimination. This must be a systematic, comprehensive and review able effort to dismantle discriminatory processes. We invite policy makers to develop a Skills Development Leave program that uses the tools of government to support quality rather than continued inequality.

Positive measures which must be undertaken to overcome training barriers are as follows:

A. Ghettoization of women's jobs. To overcome this ghettoization of women in clerical and service trades, women's full share of training in all courses must be forthcoming. 45

Recommendation 1.
That the federal government vastly expand the range of training opportunities and options for women through a national policy on Paid Skills Development Leave, particularly in the areas of technology-related training. training for growth industry occupations, and industrial training. A target of a minimum of 50% female participation must be established for the full range of courses in each of these areas.

Recommendation 2.
That vastly expanded pre-employment and/or upgrading training be provided to ensure the success of measures specified above.

Recommendation 3.
That equity of access for working women and homemakers to Paid Skills Development Leave be ensured by the inclusion of equal opportunity in the legislation covering Paid Skills Development Leave, and further, that affirmative action programs be established as the mechanism by which equal opportunity is implemented.

As a remedy for long-term disadvantages of being in a job ghetto, women workers must be given special consideration in the determination of order in which Leave may be taken by employees.

Recommendation 4.
That when Paid Skills Development Leave cannot be granted at once to all applicants, priority shall be given to women with the greatest educational need:

• those who require increased skills due to redeployment necessitated by technological change;
• those threatened with unemployment;
• those with low incomes whose income potential will increase as a result of such training;
• those with the least training in the enterprise;
• those with literacy needs.

Recommendation 5.
That selection of employees for Paid Skills Development Leave subject to the priorities in Recommendation # 4 be made by committees composed of unions, workers' organizations, and employers, and overseen by the National Education and Training Agency.