October 11, 2005 Source: University of Regina: http://www.uregina.ca/news/releases/2005/october/11(b).html Women’s unpaid labour subsidizes food prices Release: October 11, 2005
Contact: Jim Duggleby, External Relations
E-mail: James.Duggleby@uregina.ca
Phone: (306) 585.5439
Mobile: (306) 536.4312
Fax: (306) 585.4997 Women’s unpaid labour subsidizes food prices
Women are working for nothing to feed our nation, according to University of Regina professor Wendee Kubik. In the third installment of the Coffee House Controversies series, Kubik will argue that farm women’s unrecognized and unpaid work is helping to maintain their family farms and is subsidizing Canada’s low food prices. The informal talk will take place beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 13 at Chapters Bookstore behind the Southland Mall (2625 Gordon Road). Between the years 1997 and 2003, the price Canadian consumers paid for food increased by 13.8 per cent. By contrast, the average price received by farmers for their produce increased by only 2.1 per cent (Statistics Canada). Even though the cost of food has increased, the percentage of disposable income Canadians spend on food has steadily decreased over the last few years. Farm women are contributing more to farm income than at any other time in history by working off the farm, on the farm, and maintaining the farm household. Coffee House Controversies is a series of informal lectures on controversial topics, presented by the University of Regina’s Faculty of Arts. Admission to the talks is free and participants are encouraged to ask questions or raise issues with the speaker or other audience members. -30- | 