Can a movie change the world—or at least your workplace? Kadie Philp dives into the legacy of the “9 to 5” movement and how Hollywood films have shaped, reflected, and sometimes challenged gender roles in the workforce. From office revolutions in the 1970s to Barbie’s 2023 existential crisis, Kadie explores how female characters—whether breaking glass ceilings or stuck under them—have fought for dignity, equity, and representation. Listen For: 0:55 Birth of the 9 to 5 Movement 5:19 Working Girl ...
Jun 10, 2025•19 min•Season 3Ep. 6
When you walk into an art gallery, whose stories are being told—and whose are left out? Kadie Philp sits down with artist and mother Alexa Mazzarello to explore the persistent gender disparities in the art world, from pay inequity to the underrepresentation of female artists in major collections and leadership roles. They discuss the long legacy of feminist artists challenging the status quo, the unique struggles of mother artists, and how collectives like the 44.4 Mother Artist Collective are p...
Jun 03, 2025•32 min•Season 3Ep. 5
When you picture a gamer, who comes to mind? If a woman wasn’t your first thought, it’s time to rethink the stereotype. Women now make up nearly half of all gamers in Canada, and their growing presence is reshaping the industry—not just as players, but as developers, designers, and decision-makers. Kadie Philp talks with Dr. Andrea Braithwaite, senior teaching professor at Ontario Tech University and Vice President of the Canadian Game Studies Association, to explore the evolution of female repr...
May 27, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 4
What does it take to break barriers in sports? Kadie Philp is joined by Olympian and trailblazer Haley Daniels to share her fight for gender equity in women's canoeing—both in getting it recognized as an Olympic sport and in securing equal funding and representation. From facing blatant discrimination to proving that women’s sports are just as marketable and competitive, Haley's journey is a reflection of how equity in sports mirrors broader societal struggles and why true change requires everyo...
May 20, 2025•24 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Music has always been more than just entertainment—it’s a powerful tool for protest, a megaphone for the unheard, and a force for social change. Kadie Philp sits down with Dr. Norma Coates, associate professor at Western University, to explore the intersection of music, gender, and activism. From the defiant blues singers of the 1920s to modern icons like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, they discuss how women in music have consistently challenged injustice, reshaped cultural narratives, and fought for...
May 13, 2025•49 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Have you ever considered how your favourite TV show influences the way you see gender roles? Kadie Philp sits down with Dr. Andrea Braithwaite, a senior teaching professor at Ontario Tech University, to explore how television has shaped—and been shaped by—women’s roles in society. From the pioneering influence of I Love Lucy to the feminist power of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the cultural impact of Schitt’s Creek, they discuss how television has both reinforced and challenged gender norms. Th...
May 06, 2025•40 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In Season Three of Level the Paying Field , host Kadie Philp and the Ontario Pay Equity Office spotlight the fight for pay and gender equity across the arts and entertainment industries. From visual artists and athletes to musicians, actors, and game developers, this season unpacks how women are represented—and compensated—in pop culture. Featuring voices like Alexa Mazzarello , Haley Daniels , Norma Coates , and Andrea Braithwaite , we hear powerful insights into systemic gaps and inspiring sto...
May 05, 2025•1 min
Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, and Dr. Anthony Greenwald, Professor Emeritus, University of Washington, and co-author of “Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People”, discuss hidden or implicit biases that contribute to the gender wage gap. Together, they review possible approaches to remedying discriminatory biases. The papers referred to in this episode can be found at: Project Implicit (Implicit Association Tests) Implicit-Bias Remedies: Treating Discriminat...
May 16, 2023•17 min•Season 2Ep. 6
The labour market never started off level for women and men. Women have and continue to be clustered in the “5Cs”: cleaning, catering, cashiering, clerical and caring. Dr. Sarah Kaplan, Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE), talks to Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, about gender’s role in today’s labour market, and whether we are moving to a meritocracy. To see the full Level the Paying Field series, visit www.levelthepayingfield.ca ....
May 16, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 5
How does the gendered nature of the care economy impact wages across the sectors? Katherine Scott, Senior Researcher of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, joins Commissioner Kadie Ward to reflect on the need to reassess the value of care work and what the path forward may look like. The papers referred to in this episode can be found at: A Bumpy Ride Tracking women’s economic recovery amid the pandemic Women, work and COVID-19 Priorities for supporting women and the economy To see the ...
May 02, 2023•23 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Parental leave: motherhood penalty vs. fatherhood bonus. Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, is joined by Maya Roy to look into how we can encourage more equal distribution of parental leave between parents. The Pay Equity Solution for Small Business Do-It-Yourself Toolkit referred to in this episode can be found at: Pay Equity Solution for Small Business Do-It-Yourself Toolkit . To see the full Level the Paying Field series, v...
May 02, 2023•18 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Bias begins very early in life influencing how girls and women see themselves as leaders. Early intervention is crucial. Dr. Julie Cafley, executive director of Catalyst Canada, joins Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, to discuss how to bust these biases once and for all. To see the full Level the Paying Field series, visit www.levelthepayingfield.ca .
Apr 18, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 2
What is the Gender Wage Gap (GWG), and how is it measured? What are gender gaps and how are they related to the GWG? Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission, speaks with Paulette Senior, President and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation. The Girl Guides Canada report referred to in this episode can be found at: Girls on the Job: Realities in Canada . To see the full Level the Paying Field series, visit www.levelthepayingfield.ca ....
Apr 18, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Level the Paying Field is a six-part series that seeks to uncover the invisible drivers of the gender wage gap. This show is hosted by Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario's Pay Equity Commission. It's taken over 20 years to close the gender wage gap by 8%. Progress is being made, and yet the gap persists in part because 70% of the gap remains unexplained. Join us in exploring the invisible drivers of the gender wage gap together with leading experts and renowned researchers. Season two o...
Apr 11, 2023•42 sec
Commissioner Ward, CAO of Ontario’s Pay Equity Commission and Monika Queisser, Head of the Social Policy Division of OECD explore occupational clustering and the future of work. La commissaire Ward, directrice générale de la Commission de l’équité salariale de l’Ontario, et Monika Queisser, chef de la division des politiques sociales de l’OCDE, explorent le regroupement des emplois et l’avenir du travail.
Aug 29, 2022•7 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Women are often told to be more assertive, but what happens when women actually advocate for themselves? Commissioner Ward explores these experiences with Janelle Benjamin when she tried to negotiate for better salary + benefits and what she does differently now. On dit souvent aux femmes de se faire valoir, mais que se passe-t-il lorsque les femmes défendent leurs intérêts?La commissaire Ward explore ces expériences avec Janelle Benjamin qui raconte sa tentative de négocier pour obtenir un meil...
Aug 29, 2022•6 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this conversation, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario’s Pay Equity Commission, Kadie Ward, speaks with fatherhood advocate and member of the Dad Central Ontario Steering Committee, Ed Gough Jr. Ed discusses the widespread benefits of taking paternity leave and how disruptions introduced by the pandemic may have presented new opportunities for fathers to be more engaged at home.Podcast in English only. Visit website for English and French transcripts. GUESTEd Gough Jr., Member of the Dad Central ...
Jun 19, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 7
How would we consider women’s worth if women had been considered “persons” in Canada before 1927? Together with Federal Pay Equity Commissioner Jensen, Commissioner Ward explores this question while looking at Pay Equity Legislation provincially and federally as well as new AI and-data driven software tools that analyze and help close the gender pay gaps. Podcast in English only. Visit website for transcripts. HOSTSKadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO, Pay Equity Commission of OntarioKaren Jensen, F...
Jan 19, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Lean In Canada has published a report looking at racialized women at work in Ontario. Commissioner Ward speaks with Lean In Canada to learn more about what they discovered. Visit website for transcripts. Podcast en anglais seulement. Visitez le site Web pour les transcriptions. Visit website for transcripts. GUEST: Seghen Woldai, Director of Engagement, Lean In Canada Board MemberLean In Canada a publié un rapport qui examine la condition des femmes racialisées dans la population active ontarien...
Jan 12, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 5
The story of the pandemic was different for women. Author and Journalist Lauren McKeon argues that, in many ways, the story of the pandemic is the story of women. In her most recent book, Women of the Pandemic, she documents how “women have never before played such a vital, essential role in a global crisis,” and that “they’ve also been the ones who suffered the most”. Lauren’s research covers gender inequalities, gender and power, gender and inclusion, as well as racialized aspects of both gend...
Jan 05, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 4
It’s not intuitively obvious that the distinction between gender roles and gender discrimination would arise or change as a result of technology, but Dr. Debora Spar makes a compelling case for this in her recent book Work, Mate, Marry, Love: How Machines Shape our Human Destiny. Starting with the invention of the plow she argues “patriarchy has its origins in the Neolithic Revolution” and brings her readers through a journey of the interplay between technological change and broader social struc...
Dec 23, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Ask men and women why the gender wage gap exists, and you will get a variety of answers, most of them based on common “myths” about women, work, and compensation. In this episode, we deconstruct some of these myths with the help of subject matter experts. Podcast in English only. Visit website for transcripts. GUESTSJanelle Benjamin, Founder of All Things EquitableEd Gough Jr., Member of the Dad Central Ontario Steering CommitteeIan Howcroft, Executive Director, Skills OntarioAlyson Colón, Assoc...
Dec 22, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this conversation, Commissioner Kadie Ward speaks with Emanuela Pozzan, a Senior Specialist on Gender Equality with the ILO. She is part of the “Equal Pay International Coalition” Secretariat (EPIC). EPIC is a coalition of the ILO, UN Women, and the OECD. She also speaks with Monika Queisser, Senior Counsellor to the Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Directorate and the Head of Social Policy Division at OECD. The Pay Equity Commission of Ontario has enjoyed long-term collabora...
Nov 29, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 1
