Dr. Paul Kershaw, a longtime faculty and affiliate at the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), has built a distinguished career in research and knowledge mobilization focusing on policies that support children and families. His connection to HELP stems from his academic background in feminist political theory and public policy, recognizing that “improving child care, parental leave, and work-life balance policies were critical both to improving child development and promoting gender equality,” Kershaw explains. These themes form the foundation of his work with HELP and his broader efforts to reshape public policy in Canada.
Early in his tenure at HELP, Kershaw drew attention to Canada’s lack of investment in the social determinants of health for families raising young children. “Canada was relatively good at investing later in the life course—on retirement security and medical care—but far weaker at investing in poverty reduction, child care, housing, and parental leave,” he says. This discovery laid the groundwork for Generation Squeeze, a think and change tank Kershaw founded to push for urgent investments in well-being for people of all ages, starting in the early years of life.
Driving Policy Change for Generational Equity
Kershaw proudly highlights some of the organization’s accomplishments, such as playing a leading role in securing billions of dollars for $10-a-day child care across Canada. “That’s a game changer for many families that have access to it,” he notes, “and more still need access.” Generation Squeeze also fought to ensure that “young adults” were made eligible to the billions of dollars provided by the National Housing Strategy (when initial drafts excluded them).
Generation Squeeze was influential in leading an intergenerational coalition to the Supreme Court of Canada to defend the constitutionality of the federal price on pollution. “We betray our kids when we expect them to pay for pollution we are unwilling to pay for today,” Kershaw says.
Perhaps the most high profile example of Kershaw’s influence can be seen in the title and direction of the 2024 Federal Budget: Fairness for Every Generation and similar commitment in the Government of British Columbia’s Budget 2024. These examples illustrate Kershaw’s commitment to addressing the long-term consequences of intergenerational inequities: “we must beg for forgiveness from younger Canadians for the foreseeable future, and ask for their patience as the current government sets out to fix the problem in earnest.”
Despite these victories, Kershaw acknowledges the challenges that come with advocating for change. “Generation Squeeze is in the business of speaking ‘hard truths,’” he says, referring to the resistance he faces from those who benefit from the status quo (and the name of the Generation Squeeze podcast series). The organization’s emphasis on the growing generational divides in Canada has been met with accusations of “pitting generations against one another,” but Kershaw remains steadfast in his vision of intergenerational solidarity. He likens this challenge to his early work on feminist scholarship, where pointing out differences in power between men and women was essential to addressing systemic inequality. “So it is with ageism toward younger people and children,” he adds. “When it comes to government budgets, if there is ageism, it is toward younger people — most new spending is applied later in the life course, and not earlier.”
Envisioning the Next Decade of Generational Fairness
Through Generation Squeeze, Kershaw continues to advocate for generational fairness across Canada. The organization’s mission is clear: to preserve the essential pillars of Canadian life—a healthy childhood, home, and planet—while ensuring future generations are left with a proud legacy. When asked what changes he hopes to see in the next 10 years, Kershaw envisions a Canada where every family raising children has “a chance to live up to its potential, enough time and money to enjoy life, and the opportunity to leave our city, country, and planet better off than we found it.”
With a focus on long-term systemic change, Kershaw is ensuring that the voices of younger generations are heard in the halls of power. He knows the road ahead is long but believes that with sustained effort, the changes needed to build a more just society for future generations are well within reach.
With the BC provincial election coming up soon, we invite you to explore Generation Squeeze’s BC Voters Guide 2024.
For more from Dr. Paul Kershaw:
- Read his column with Globe and Mail
- Learn more about Generation Squeeze