Photo: Earl Kennedy

I remember that only a few years ago she lost a competition for an insignificant job in the superintendent's office of a small urban school division to a bit of educational deadwood whose sole advantage was that he was more-or-less male.

Another bright fragment floats to mind.

Recently, at the dentist's office, my seven-year
old grand-daughter queried the dentist on every procedure.

Her dentist, one of the new breed of young men -- his piped- in sound is the Royal Canadian Air Farce rather than Muzak answered each question patiently, then asked: "Are you planning to become a dentist?" "It's one of the careers I'm considering, she responded matter-of-factly.

Susan: What do we need to focus on now?

Martha: Our focus for the next ten years needs to be (1) developing career readiness materials that convince young women of the importance of planning for the future; (2) providing adequate career counseling for young women; (3) ensuring that women have educational and training equity; (4) monitoring educational and training programs to ensure that women's needs are understood and met; (5) developing educational and training programs to meet the special needs of immigrant women, re-entry women, handicapped women; and (6) bringing about legislative and societal changes, necessary to provide adequate support for women in educational and training programs.

Income tax laws need to be changed so that the costs a woman incurs in earning a living are as legitimate deductions as those accorded business:- why should a business man be permitted to deduct the full costs of cleaning staff, but a woman is entitled to deduct only partial costs of child care and none of the costs of extra household help? Training allowances must reflect the extra costs a mother incurs when she studies. Quality, affordable day care must be available for all parents.