“WITHOUT TAKING AWAY HER LEAVE”: A CANADIAN CASE STUDY OF COUPLES’ DECISIONS ON FATHERS’ USE OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

Over the last decade, Canadian fathers’ use of paid parental leave benefits rose dramatically. Yet very little is known about when and why these fathers take leave, and how couples negotiate who takes leave, when, and for how long. This article reports on a qualitative study in households where fathers took leave, carried out in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, which are governed by two distinct policy regimes. Drawing on interviews with 26 couples, we develop three arguments about what facilitates or hinders Canadian fathers’ take-up of parental leave. First, fathers defer to mothers’ preference in making leave decisions; moreover, breastfeeding plays a role in prioritizing mothers’ care. Second, these decisions are shaped by ideological and social norms in workplaces and communities. Third, public policy plays a role: longer duration of paid parental leave, non-transferable paternity leave, and some mothers’ ineligibility for paid parental leave affect fathers’ take-up of leave.