Status of Women Committee on Oct. 5th, 2006

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Do you believe that gender mainstreaming is an effective policy to promote gender equality?

[Florence Ievers]

Yes. At Status of Women Canada, we have promoted gender mainstreaming, and what the minister was talking about this morning is making sure that departments are held accountable for ensuring results for women. Not only Status of Women Canada but the whole of the government needs to be accountable. That's really what mainstreaming is. It's not having one agency parked somewhere being the only entity that endeavours to ensure gender equality results, but that all the entities of government do so.

As I said earlier, blanketing that at this present time is not necessarily the best way to go, but with the help of the central agencies and holding departments accountable for gender-based analysis, and with the minister's efforts in working with her colleagues--and she mentioned a few this morning--the mainstreaming is becoming more and more a way of life.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Stanton.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Ms. Ievers and panel, for coming to join us here this afternoon.

My question actually pertains to the testimony that this committee has heard relating primarily to economic security but also to access.

We heard that there have been some gains for women in particular, but there remains a segment of our population, particularly women seniors, native aboriginal women, and new Canadian or immigrant women, for whom we have not been able to close the gap with regard to access and being fully integrated and having the same economic benefit. The gap continues to be there and doesn't seem to be moving all that quickly, despite the fact that we've seen some announcements around, for example, support for immigrant settlement. There's been a reduction in the residence fee--and I'll context this by saying I want to focus on immigrant women in particular--and we've seen some movement towards helping foreign-trained immigrants get their equivalency to participate fully in Canadian society.

I wonder if you could comment on why we still don't seem to be closing the gap in those issues, specifically for immigrant women.

[Florence Ievers]

A number of policies have begun to help immigrant women. Obviously some barriers still remain, and the minister was acknowledging that. The work that's been done on foreign credentials is essential. A lot of women and, as the minister said, a lot of men in Canada have come to this country expecting that they can be full participants, and when they come here their credentials are not recognized. Obviously the government is putting a lot of effort into that, and that is an area where we will see improvements. When policies are introduced, you don't see results overnight. Results take time.

I believe that on foreign credentials this issue is also in the purview of the provinces and territories. So there is a lot of work to be done there.

It's clear that women who are immigrants are probably facing barriers that are different from those of even male immigrants. Some of them are language. Some of them are just the cultural ways of their previous countries, where women were not necessarily part of the active life. I am not saying that very well but--

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

So these are cultural barriers that pre-exist, for example.

[Florence Ievers]

That pre-exist, yes.

As the minister said, we're fortunate in Canada that our Charter of Rights does guarantee equality. What often happens to women who are immigrants particularly is that they're not necessarily informed of their rights or are not knowledgeable about their rights. I think that what the minister was leading up to is that in providing some services directly to Canadian women, those women will be able to be more informed of what challenges they have to surmount and what opportunities are there for them.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

With regard, then, to programming provided by Status of Women Canada, could you briefly describe that segment of programs that really is targeted to that group of women and is there to help them with bridging those gaps?

[Florence Ievers]

I know that there are a number of funding programs. The $10.8 million funds a number of groups with different interests.

Perhaps Jackie Claxton, who is the director general of the women's programs, can give you some idea of the kinds of initiatives that we have taken and that we have with some aboriginal women's groups and other groups that are interested in immigration.

[Jackie Claxton, Director General, Women's Programs and Regional Operations, Status of Women Canada]

What we could do is provide the committee with a list. If I look at the figures for last year, we have supported a number of initiatives related to refugee women, some related to visible minorities, and others dealing with immigrant women. There are about 15 or 20 of those, and they would be taking place at the local and regional levels as well as the national level.

We can look at a group like the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women. Right now they are concluding a strategy that is unfolding across the country looking at how to improve the connections between the private sector and immigrant women in the communities who are seeking employment. That's just one example that comes to mind, off the top of my head.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

If you can supply that list to the clerk, she will distribute it.

Next, I have Ms. Minna.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would first like to make a statement to follow up on what was said earlier by the minister with respect to immigrant women.

There was a great deal of discussion this morning both by the minister and members opposite with respect to programs for immigrant women, assisting immigrant women on the ground and all of these things, which of course is fair. I'm someone who has lived the immigrant experience and I worked for about 30 years with immigrant women in the city of Toronto. I have a strong understanding of what they go through, I can assure you.

I'm also a co-founder of NOIVMWC. I also know that if it wasn't for a charter challenge to the Government of Canada in 1986, immigrant women would not have received English as a second language subsidized language training. It was deemed at the time that women did not need language training and so on.

There are still many barriers. Multicultural health is an issue. Immigrant women deal with certain health issues in different ways. On language there are a lot of barriers. The fact that we have charter rights doesn't mean they automatically are applied to women in this country. You have to fight for them and you have to challenge them, as everyone knows.

My question is, having removed the advocacy part of the criteria, will NOIVMWC be one of those organizations that will be defunded once the new criteria come into effect?

[Jackie Claxton]

As the minister has indicated in her remarks, the focus of the terms and conditions, the objective of the program, relates to the full participation of women. We look at the specific proposals that groups come forward with and it's on this basis that we make the decision. Whether it's the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women or any of the other groups that we fund currently, or new groups out there that may now be coming forward, the process is starting with the basic framework of the program--in other words, the objective, the kinds of outcomes we're looking for, and then we look at the specific proposal.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

To go back, given the fact that the criteria have now changed.... I don't know whether the staff has had time to do an analysis, but given that advocacy, capacity building, and all of those things are no longer funded—and basically that's what NOIVMWC does, it is an advocate organization like NAWL and others—could you give me an idea of whether you've done any analysis at all about whether NOIVMWC would qualify under the new criteria, and of which organizations would not qualify under the new criteria, and which ones are they?

[Jackie Claxton]

As committee members are aware, the terms and conditions were approved last week. What we are now in the process of doing is developing the detailed funding guidelines, the application form, and the assessment criteria that we will be putting into the hands of staff across the country and providing the staff with the necessary information and tools in order that they can respond to the kinds of calls and inquiries that are coming in across the country.

I want to clarify the question related to capacity building. If you look at the specific wording, what you'll note is that capacity building is in fact something that can be supported by the program under the new terms and conditions, provided that those activities relate directly to a strategy that's going to have a direct impact on women. Capacity building is something that I expect at this point will very much continue to be part of our activities. When we look at some of the specific groups that the program has supported over the years, like aboriginal women, or immigrant women, we know how important that capacity building component is to their ability to be able to participate in their communities and to work on the issues that affect them.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Just to finish off--and this is my last question, because I think I'm probably running out of time--under the new criteria, though, will the advocacy work that NOIVMWC has been performing be funded or not, do you think? I think you've looked at the criteria.

[Jackie Claxton]

I think it's clearly indicated in the terms and conditions that advocacy is an activity that the program will no longer be supporting. What we now have to do is develop the funding guidelines in order to provide both the staff and groups clarity as to the kinds of things we now can support.

As you know, the program is delivered in a decentralized manner. We've always been very responsive to the specific issues, whether it's at a national, regional, or local level, and I think one of the crucial things we will want to retain is the kind of flexibility that the program has historically had that has allowed us to fund women dealing with issues in the fisheries, or in offshore oil development in Newfoundland, or immigrant women working in specific industries in British Columbia. I think the question of flexibility in how we deliver the program is part of what we will be looking at as we deal with the funding guidelines.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Well, despite the government's protestations, women's voices are being shut down. That's basically what it is.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Your time us up.

Ms. Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to answer our questions. I think it's very encouraging to see that you're here to carry on after the minister had to leave.

Some of the things we've heard here this morning are extremely important, and they're things that I think each of us sitting around these tables agree to. I think we do believe in equality for women, and strength for women, and I think that's extremely important. We have to remember that those are some of the goals we're trying to work towards.

It has been very encouraging to hear the minister say that she has participated in round tables and consultations with groups, and many different groups regardless of what their mandate is. I think that's important. We need to deal directly to assist women in their communities, where they need it. These are all very important things.

We need to address the economic stability of women, the violence issues. These are all things that women in all communities are facing, in most cases, regardless of their age or their background.

We need to support training and skills, and mentorships, to try to increase the betterment of women across this country. It's also very encouraging to think that we're going to be looking for measurable results.

Status of Women over the years has done some remarkable work. We have seen that in a lot of different aspects of this great country of ours. But we also have to realize that times change and issues change, and the outcomes that we're looking for sometimes have to be approached in different manners. I think it's important that there is flexibility and that there is a broad, open-minded approach to how we can better the status of women in Canada.

We've had $10.8 million for programming, and we've seen that amount over several years. I'm extremely pleased to see that in the cost-saving measures that have been put forward, we are not affecting programming. It is vital that that money stay in the programming and that we continue to support women.

At this committee, one of the areas of our society that we have seen greatly disadvantaged in many ways is the aboriginal communities. I think somebody spoke earlier today about the United Nations having cited us in 2005 for the incidence of violence against aboriginal women and failing to address matrimonial property rights. Those are just two of the issues, but they're certainly on a very international scale, and Canada and the plight of women was made very much in the forefront.

We do know that in the 2006 budget there was $450 million allotted for improving water supply and housing on reserves, education outcomes, and socio-economic conditions. Minister Prentice launched the second phase of the national consultation process on matrimonial real property on-reserve. We have seen an approval of a final Indian residential school settlement agreement. Those are some of the things that are going towards helping aboriginals in general.

Can you tell me, are there specific ways Status of Women has identified to help aboriginals in particular?

[Florence Ievers]

Yes, I'll give you one example. It's the Sisters in Spirit initiative of the government, which Status of Women is coordinating. That initiative came about a year ago. The government had identified $5 million over five years to go to the NWAC, the Native Women's Association of Canada. The minister confirmed this morning that not only did the funding of the women's program remain at $10.8 million, but also that the Sisters in Spirit initiative will continue. That is one area where we are working very closely on the issue of aboriginal women.

Also, an aboriginal policy conference took place last March, with policy-makers who have special interest in looking at the plight, the challenges, and opportunities of aboriginal women from all jurisdictions in Canada. This took place with aboriginal women, representatives of all three groups: the Métis, the first nations, as well as the Inuit. We are now in the process of looking at how government policies in all of the jurisdictions can be improved in order to improve the lot of aboriginal women across the country.

Matrimonial property is something Status of Women has done research on. We're working very closely with INAC to develop and look at how this will proceed. We're very interested in seeing and attending the consultations that will be held shortly on this very fundamental issue for aboriginal women in Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you, Ms. Ievers.

Ms. Mourani.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you all for being with us today to answer our questions.

I really have two main questions. First of all, I understand that there will be $2.5 million worth of cuts this year, which will go into effect with the next budget. I also understand that the Minister has asked you to see where further cuts can be made. I would like to get a detailed breakdown of those cuts--if possible, in hard copy--for reference purposes. But could you give me a verbal answer now?

When will the new criteria for the Women's Program come into effect? Under the new criteria, can groups such as the National Association of Women and the Law, the FFQ and the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action expect to disappear?

In 2005, consultations were held with respect to the criteria of the Women's Program. The Minister said she had consulted with women's groups. I would like to know what women's groups were consulted. Are we talking about the same group as in 2005? It would be rather strange for the criteria to suddenly have changed after meetings with other people. I would like to know which women's groups were met with the second time.

[Florence Ievers]

Thank you for your questions.

The $5 million budget cut will be effective in the 2007-2008 fiscal year. That cut is spread over a year and all subsequent years, as opposed to only two years. Status of Women Canada will have to absorb the $5 million cut beginning next April 1st.

The cuts have just been announced, and we have work to do internally, of course. A number of them are of an administrative nature, but we will have to determine with the Minister where they will be made. That work has not yet begun. As I already said, we have until next April 1st to determine how those cuts will be made. I have no information in that regard, because the work has not yet started.

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Did the Finance Minister just get up one morning and decide he needed to cut $5 million? How was that figure arrived at? I'm trying to understand.