Evidence of meeting #31 for Status of Women in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was students.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Anne-Marie Gammon  President, Femmes Équité Atlantique
Angelina Weenie  Department Head, Professional Programs, First Nations University of Canada

April 30th, 2012 / 3:35 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the 31st meeting of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.

Today, we are continuing our study on improving economic prospects for Canadian girls. I am not sure whether our witness has arrived; I saw someone earlier on the screen. If not, I suggest that we take 15 minutes right away to deal with committee business. It's up to you.

If there are no objections, we will deal with committee business for 15 minutes, and then we will hear from our witness. Therefore, the committee will adjourn for 15 minutes.

Ms. Ashton, go ahead.

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

As two of our witnesses are not here today, our schedule will be somewhat different. I would like to know why those witnesses have not shown up.

3:35 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Two witnesses cancelled their appearance: the Stella organization and the Native Women Association of Canada.

Stella told us it had nothing specific to say on the topic of study. However, that witness can be summoned for a future study, if the committee is interested.

As for the Native Women Association of Canada, something came up and they had to cancel. We will try to invite them to a future meeting involving the same study on improving economic prospects for Canadian girls.

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

I understand why the Native Women Association of Canada cancelled, as something came up. Did Stella's representatives submit a letter explaining why they could not appear? If so, could that letter be included in the committee's records?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

I just asked the clerk about that. The letter will be translated and submitted to the committee. We will then see whether it can be incorporated into the study.

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Could the committee members be provided with that letter at the next meeting?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Yes, once it has been translated, the letter will be emailed to all members.

Ms. Day, do you have a question?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Are people not obligated to appear when summoned to a committee meeting?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Yes, further to the communication, the committee could strongly encourage the organization to appear. We will have to look into that later.

So I will adjourn the meeting for 15 minutes, during which time we will sit in camera to deal with committee business.

4:21 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

We are continuing our work related to the study on improving economic prospects for Canadian girls.

Our first witness, joining us by videoconference, is Anne-Marie Gammon, President of Femmes Équité Atlantique.

Ms. Gammon, can you hear me?

4:21 p.m.

Anne-Marie Gammon President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

I hear you. Can you hear me?

4:21 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Yes, I hear you very well, thank you.

We know that you've had an unexpected hitch today. We have managed to provide you with an additional 15 minutes with the other witness's agreement. So, you will be with us until 4:45 p.m. You will have 10 minutes for your presentation, and then we will move on to questions. Exceptionally, we will have slightly less time than usual.

Go ahead, Ms. Gammon.

4:21 p.m.

President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

Anne-Marie Gammon

Good afternoon.

The Femmes Équité Atlantique project was about bringing generations together and achieving socio-economic equity for francophone and Acadian women living in minority communities in Atlantic provinces. The project was titled “La rencontre des générations”. Girls and women of different ages attended meetings as part that project. Those meetings covered four aspects: girls' participation, skills, self-esteem and critical consciousness.

It is sometimes more difficult to get girls to participate. They often think that all the battles have been won, that everything is going well, but that really doesn't reflect the reality. Currently, when we discuss equality, equal wages and benefits girls may know they are lacking, we realize that, at the secondary and post-secondary levels, girls participate in debates in certain areas. However, their participation is low, if not inexistent, once they are out of university or community college.

I am currently the only woman and the only francophone on the Bathurst city council. If you think that the situation is good and that things are going well for women, I would like to welcome you to today's world. Young women must be given the opportunity to express their concerns and their perception of inequalities. However, depending on their family's economic situation—and in certain areas, the main preoccupation is surviving in this world—young women have difficulty deciding to participate more extensively in collective actions.

Some young women become involved in the Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick—the province's feminist organization—but I would not say that, overall, they understand the issues and inequalities in society, especially when it comes to young francophone women. I don't know how those young women will be able to rise to the challenges that lie ahead. I often feel that our school system insufficiently prepares our girls for the future, that they are not educated about the inequalities. I am not sure the school system recognizes the importance of providing girls with the skills they need to succeed in this world.

That brings me to my second point—skills and knowledge development. The Fédération des jeunes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick, the province's francophone youth federation, contributes to building what is referred to as individual empowerment in girls and young women who become involved. Yet only a small minority of our young people get involved. That is perhaps due to the fact that parents fail to encourage girls and young women to become involved in the community or in issues that are of importance to women. It may also be due to anger.

At the secondary level, student councils are often chaired by young women. There are some young women even at the FAECUM, in Moncton. However, research shows that, once women leave the Université de Moncton—regardless of whether they become lawyers or pursue another career—they do not reach their full community potential. How can we help young women develop the inner passion that will drive them to become involved and to want to contribute to their community? That issue is a bit more specific and more difficult because the community does not provide those women with support.

I can share my own story with you. Had I not been a woman of character who was used to being on the city council, I don't know whether I would have decided to run again in the next election, simply because it's a man's world. We, the women, may be present in the media, but when it comes to day-to-day activities, it is very much a male-dominated and anglophone world. I apologize, but I am going through a difficult time, and my vision of the issue may be a bit subjective. If that is the case, I apologize.

Young women need the community and the people they know, especially boys and young men, to encourage them to reach their leadership potential and to show the community that they have something to contribute and the will to do it. However, that interest must be kindled.

That is somewhat similar to the seniors project I managed for a few months, which has two aspects. Women of all ages are encouraged to participate, but also to develop their desire to hold positions of responsibility and decision-making. That's very important. Women account for 50% of the population, but they do not occupy 50% of those positions. We must continue encouraging the work Status of Women Canada does to develop young women's desire to participate, to have enough confidence and self-esteem to tell themselves they can contribute and change things.

To do that, we need people like Aldéa Landry and Brigitte Sivret, who are not only making their voices heard, but are also remaining very visible in their community. That gives young women models to follow. They can say to themselves that, if Anne-Marie Gammon and Aldéa Landry can do it, so can they. That self-esteem must be built up, and we must set up more projects that help young women develop their understanding of the community and their desire to contribute to change. Those young women's internal locus of control must provide them with enough confidence to make changes in their community and their own lives.

In a 2008 article, Mr. Ninacs often mentions young women and—

4:30 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Thank you, Ms. Gammon. Unfortunately, your time is up.

We have about 15 minutes for questions. We will begin with the government side.

Ms. Truppe, you have seven minutes.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON

Thank you, Madame Gammon. I appreciate your time and your comments on what you think should be done for young girls.

I visited your website, and it lists the Public Health Agency of Canada, Status of Women Canada, and Canadian Heritage as partner organizations.

How do you partner with Status of Women Canada, and how have they supported your efforts?

4:30 p.m.

President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

Anne-Marie Gammon

Currently, about $600,000 is set aside for the Femmes Équité Atlantique project. We have organized interprovincial meetings for young women of all ages. That project was supported by Status of Women Canada and sponsored by the Association acadienne et francophone des aînées et aînés du Nouveau-Brunswick, New Brunswick's Acadian and francophone seniors association.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON

What does this funding do for your organization? You mentioned $600,000 for the interprovincial encounters. How could that help you?

4:30 p.m.

President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

Anne-Marie Gammon

That funding has enabled us to organize interprovincial meetings with girls and women of all ages. At those meetings, participants have an opportunity to discuss and establish the possibility of implementing interprovincial mentorship projects for young women, girls and older women. The funding has also enabled us to provide young women with tools and consolidate the whole francophone and Acadian women's community in its power to act.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON

Great. Thank you very much.

You published a document in 2010 called a guide for girls and young women. My understanding—and I'm not sure if it's correct—is that Status of Women Canada funded the publication.

Is that correct, or was that a different funding?

4:30 p.m.

President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

Anne-Marie Gammon

Yes, exactly. That guide is still in demand today. We published a second edition sold mostly in New Brunswick. We actually have no books left. We have been receiving very positive feedback, not only from young girls, but also from teachers who tell us about the positive aspect of that guide, which helps young women take control of their future.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON

That's great to hear. Thank you for that.

It's my understanding that the guide speaks to us about money management and community participation, amongst other things. Can you tell us what it says to the girls on those subjects? Why is it in such demand? What is in there that is so great for them?

4:35 p.m.

President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

Anne-Marie Gammon

That's because we have published four guides—one per province. The guides provide young girls with practical examples and references they can use to find information that contributes to their efforts to become much more autonomous, and to develop positive attitudes regarding sexual abuse or any other kind of abuse. Teachers use the guides in their classroom, as part of self-development courses. Other stakeholders, in schools, also help girls make sense of the guide. When they need to provide young girls with references, they have access to this practical and specific information.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON

Thank you.

As you know, the focus of our committee study is prospects for Canadian girls with regard to economic prosperity, participation, and economic leadership, and what changes can be made by Status of Women to its approach in improving them.

Could you tell us, from your experience, what you think the focus of Status of Women Canada should be when trying to directly improve the economic participation, prosperity, and leadership of girls in Canada?

4:35 p.m.

President, Femmes Équité Atlantique

Anne-Marie Gammon

You are talking about something that's very close to my heart. We have a youth centre here, in Bathurst. Two years ago, I participated in the activities of the Girls Action Foundation and other similar organizations. Status of women has improved owing to three elements.

First, entities such as the Bathurst Youth Centre develop projects. Those centres are bilingual. They can provide training and organize activities for young people in order to develop their self-esteem and create a positive attitude with regard to young women's participation.

Second, we must develop the skills of the adults involved with those young women—be they teachers or women working in the community—so that they can also inflame that passion in young women.

Third, there is a movement in Bathurst called “Synergies” for young adults between the ages of 18 and 35. Its goal is to work with those groups on facilitating the training of the young women involved.

I was disappointed because I thought some of the young women from “Synergies” would run in the election. Unfortunately, none of them did, but it was not for lack of trying. As there is not enough funding, there is no one to kindle, fuel and maintain the passion in young women.

4:35 p.m.

NDP

The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin

Thank you, Ms. Gammon.

We will now go to the official opposition side.

Ms. Ashton, you have about five minutes remaining before we hear from the other witness.