Research-Based Argument: Addressing Sexism in the Canadian Tax System

This essay critically examines the Canadian tax system, arguing that it contains inherent biases that disproportionately affect women. It highlights how federal tax breaks and policies often favor men, leading to financial disadvantages for women. The analysis draws on reports and studies that reveal disparities in tax benefits, such as foreign tax credits and pension income splitting, which predominantly benefit men. While acknowledging that women may benefit from certain credits like child care expense deductions and pension income credits, the essay asserts that the overall tax system reinforces gender-based inequalities. The author suggests overhauling the tax system to prioritize gender equality, eliminate inefficient tax breaks, and implement programs that leverage the tax and transfer system to create a fairer and more efficient tax structure. The essay concludes by advocating for the abolishment of 'pink tax' and promoting more equitable tax policies to address the systemic disadvantages faced by women in Canada.

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Sexism in the Canadian Tax System
With the gradual process of women empowerment, researchers have risen to establish
how fairly the women are being treated. There have been many debates in the past seeking to
make the women enjoy similar benefits with their male counterparts. While the dream to create
the ideal equitable society for both men and women has not been fully achieved, the stakeholders
do not appear to have given up. The feminists, particularly have remained determined to ensure
that the females do not lose all to the men. The strive for equality is not only linked to social
equality but also matters linked to politics and finances. Women have been empowered to take
similar jobs with men. With the employment in the top offices in a country, women are able to
take home similar amounts of finances as men do. They are equally eligible to pay and benefit
from tax deductions just like men. In any given country, citizens desire to get maximum returns
from their taxes. Canada is among the countries that have been debating on the issues of taxes in
the recent past. While a portion of the citizens recommends the tax system for a work well-done,
majority criticize the sector for imposing inequalities based on gender lines. Although Canada
has been making the best of the taxes paid by the citizens, she has not adjusted the tax system to
suit the needs of the women. Critically, the federal tax breaks are biased and sexist.
Firstly, the women have to suffer huge tax deductions which they hardly benefit from.
The products which are considered feminine are taxed more than those that are considered
masculine. The taxes even double considering the fact that women have to use more products

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than men. Most of the working class women earn average salaries and therefore a greater
percentage of them strain to sustain the high tax rates. The over taxation of women in the
Canadian government implies that the collection of revenue is biased and one gender contributes
more than the other.
In a report published earlier this month in Canada, it was concluded that the women are
not getting the best from the country’s tax system. Following the push by CPA Canada to
establish a fairer system, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) studied the federal
tax breaks and concluded that the men are the main beneficiaries of the taxpayers’ revenue
(Macdonald 5). “Simply put, men in Canada are treated much differently and much better by the
tax system than women” (Macdonald). Ideally, in a country where equality is embraced and
treated as a virtue, no one should be demeaned whether socially, economically or politically. The
economic debate has always been the most popular. Therefore, the findings of the study were
least expected as the economic issues would have been addressed earlier.
According to the CCPA team, out of the total 45 federal credits, loopholes, deductions
and breaks, only 8 paid more returns to women than men. The report found out that men benefit
disproportionately from the foreign tax credit, pension income splitting and employee stock
option benefit (CCPA). Women, on the other hand, benefit more from the child care expense
deduction and the pension income credit (Thobani). From these findings, it is obvious that the
current tax system is inefficient and reinforces sex-based disadvantages. In some cases, men are
able to minimize their tax obligation at the expense of their female spouses (Canada, Department
of Finance 3). Whenever such circumstances occur, the females suffer the tax burden.
Critics who think that the Canadian tax system is fair base their premises on the fact that
women benefit more in the pension income credit. Presumably, female spouses may continue

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benefitting from the estate of a deceased partner who reduced his tax obligation (Randall).
Ideally, both the men and women who earn low incomes may find themselves receiving a higher
amount of finances in retirement. However, it is believed that women benefit more from
retirement returns. This could be explained by the fact that women live longer than men.
Additionally, men cater or most household needs than women. In an ideal household setting, the
male spouse is expected to provide the most basic needs, educate the children and even engage in
investment activities. The roles that a man plays in a family setting justifies the need for him to
get more tax benefits.
There are several practices that if implemented will help curb the tax inequalities. The
entire tax system should be overhauled in order to introduce various priorities and programs. The
introduced programs should be able to leverage the general tax and transfer system (Meyer). The
setting of the programs and prioritization will enhance the tax gender equality and consequently
make the tax system efficient (Clemens, Veldhuis and Palacios 18). Macdonald proposes that
Canada’s tax system is less examined compared to program spending. The tax system despite
being a key public policy area is rarely checked. Therefore, there is need to act towards
developing a comprehensive tax policy. The tax breaks that are not functional or efficient is
serving their respective purposes should be dropped or put into a better use. Similarly, the tax
breaks that exacerbate sexism or promote gender inequality should be closed down, and the
significant lost finances be utilized in a better way.

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Conclusion
Conclusively, women generally experience more tax costs than men. Similarly, they benefit
minimally from their paid taxes. On average, men make far much finances than women.
However, the women end up paying more taxes and only benefit a little from them. Pink tax is a
term that is used to refer to the extra charges that are charged on women products. Women get
far much less for the same price as men. Although there have been efforts to abolish the pink tax,
manufacturers and suppliers still continue to exploit the women. Some feminists have been
proposing that the women should stop using the “women products” and use those meant for men
in order to escape exploitation. After all, some of the male products have proved to be more
effective than female ones. The best means that would help curb women exploitation is
boycotting all female product especially the ones that are overtaxed.

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Works Cited
Canada, Department of Finance. "Economic and Fiscal Update 2018." Government of Canada
(2018): 1-5.
CCPA. Are federal tax breaks sexist? 7 March 2019. 22 March 2019.
Clemens, Jason, Niels Veldhuis and Milagros Palacios. "Tax Efficiency: Not All Taxes Are
Created Equal." Economic Prosperity 4 (2013): 1-32.
Macdonald, David. "Are Tax Loopholes Sexist?" Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
(2019): 1-24.
Meyer, Jon. Are Canadian Tax Loopholes Sexist? 7 March 2019. 22 March 2019.
Randall, Steve. Canada’s tax system is sexist suggests new report. 7 March 2019. 22 March
2019.
Thobani, Sunera. Canada’s tax system disproportionately benefits men: Report. 7 March 2019.
22 March 2019.