In a one-day visit to Canada on December 8, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez traveled to Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec to learn more about Canadian paid leave and maternal leave policies.
In meetings with Canadian Minster of Employment and Social Development Jason Kenney, Minister of State for Social Development Candice Bergen, and Minister of Labor K. Kellie Leitch, Secretary Perez discussed Canadian government efforts to promote women in the workforce through its paid leave programs and affordable child care options. Secretary Perez also met with Canadian parents, human resource executives from major Canadian companies and U.S. companies operating in Canada, policy experts, and labor union leaders to discuss how paid leave and child care policies assist Canadian families.
In addition to Canada, Secretary Perez has visited other industrialized nations like Germany on his fact-finding trips. He recently attended the G20 summit in Australia to discuss how paid leave policies can increase labor force participation.
