Canadian_Advisory_Council_on_the_Status_of_Women
The Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women (CACSW) emerged from the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (RCSW).[1] The CACSW was established by the Canadian federal government in 1973[2] in order to educate and inform the public about women's concerns. The CACSW was also empowered with the task of advising the federal government as to the effect public policy had on women. Such direct access to government was significant in that it legitimized women's issues in large-P politics.
The economic boom of the 1960s ensured that fiscal resources were available to support groups such as the CACSW. Additionally, global activist movements fostered an appropriate cultural environment for the acknowledgement of rights at the state level. Both these factors mitigated the process of discourse on women's issues with prominent political actors. As such, the CACSW was empowered with influencing the government agenda on subjects related to the feminist struggle, including: wage equity, access to employment traditionally dominated by men, education, female reproduction, child care, maternity benefits, and political representation.