Status of Women Committee on May 14th, 2012

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Today, we are continuing our study of improving economic prospects for Canadian girls.

With us by videoconference today, we have Ms. Coline Camier and Ms. Marilyn Ouellet from Action travail des femmes, as well as Ms. Siham Chakrouni and Ms. Regine Cirondeye from the Ontario Movement for Francophone Immigrant Women. You will each have 10 minutes in which to make your presentations and then we will move to questions from the committee.

I will give the floor first to Ms. Camier and Ms. Ouellet.

You have 10 minutes. Thank you.

[Coline Camier, Assistant Coordinator, Action travail des femmes]

Good afternoon, everyone. I am Coline Camier, Assistant Coordinator. With me is Marilyn Ouellet, who is responsible for equal access services. Thank you for inviting us to speak to you today. Let me start right away.

Action travail des femmes, or ATF, is an independent, not-for-profit organization working to support underprivileged women of all ages and of all origins in their desire to obtain decent employment, especially in non-traditional areas. Our expertise lies in helping women to enter the labour market with complete equality of rights and opportunities, not only between men and women, but also between all women. We can in fact see that all women are not equal in access to employment and that some are confronted with more obstacles. That is why we operate on two levels: we help individual women to obtain access to work and we seek to eliminate discrimination in the workplace.

For more than 30 years, ATF has been helping to establish equality programs in Quebec, the latest of which is the precedent-setting Gaz Métro case before the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal. Our remarks today will deal with improving economic prosperity for girls and women, because, as you know, those women are in the poorest segments of the population. They often find themselves in very difficult positions because of systemic discrimination, by which we mean a number of elements that accumulate in life and interact correspondingly.

Let us begin with education. We no longer have to make the case for the feminization of poverty today; it is the result of a number of factors, including the school dropout rate for girls. The statistics for boys may still be higher, but, in the light of the socio-economic inequalities that continue to be obstacles in girls' lives, it is important that we do not conceal the same phenomenon that affects them.

Let me give you some figures. In 2008, women without a high-school diploma earned an average of $16,414 per year, while men without a high-school diploma earned $24,434. The difference between men and women is clear. Complex dynamics in gender relationships continue to influence the lives of boys and girls and bring with them still more situations of inequality. The government must guarantee access to education.

To further illustrate our point, let us not forget the current tuition fee debate in Quebec. Today, we would like to stress the fact that tuition fees often have a more adverse effect on women. That is why the issue deserves even more detailed attention. For example, immigrant women, single mothers, women with disabilities and aboriginal women often experience this kind of situation to a significantly greater extent. Education remains the key that gives women access to interesting jobs in areas other than the service industry and the decent incomes and economic autonomy that will get them out of poverty.

Finally, I am going to talk about the gender divisions in labour. In the labour market, atypical jobs, that is, those that are temporary and have no job security, are largely taken by women, especially young women. Most of the people who are paid minimum wage are women. In Quebec, the figure is almost 60%. On May 1, the minimum wage in Quebec was increased to $9.90 from its previous level of $9.60. But it is still not enough to allow a life above the poverty line. Our recommendation is to raise it to $11.20, and we have already made the Quebec department of labour aware of that as part of the Front de défense des non-syndiqué-e-s, of which we are a member.

In terms of pay equity, women receive an average of 75% of the salary of men because the lowest salary levels in our society are mostly found in the employment sectors occupied by women. Traditionally female occupations are mostly in health care, education and services, where more than 80% are women. A brief analysis shows that, historically, all these occupations are an extension of domestic work. They are valued and paid at a lower level than traditionally male sectors.

To reach actual equality, it is important to give new value to womens' work as caregivers, which continues to form the basis of social, family and intergenerational ties.

The promotion of so-called non-traditional sectors remains a priority for us at Action travail des femmes, a response to the inequality between men and women in the workplace. Those predominantly male sectors represent an overlooked and undervalued opportunity for women.

Of the 520 occupations listed in the National Occupational Classification, 269 are those in which women are in a significant minority. Those jobs provide very favourable compensation situations and the rate of employment is high. So it is essential to promote more diverse educational and career paths for girls.

In that regard, Status of Women Canada has given us the responsibility for a pilot project in the Montreal region. The objective is to promote and facilitate women's access to training and employment in traditionally male sectors and other sectors in which they are underrepresented.

Hiring women in non-traditional sectors has a number of advantages. I am not sure if you are aware of this, but, as well as providing a better economic situation for women, it also helps to address the labour shortage that the major growth sectors in Quebec now have to deal with.

In workplace safety too, women are known to bring better conditions for all employees, men and women alike. The mix also creates dynamic teams. Businesses see productivity increasing and employee commitment becoming stronger.

Promoting equality implies a change in the organizational culture of these environments. Establishing a concerted strategy for the various players is essential. The Government of Canada's leadership and desire to see the Employment Equity Act enforced are crucial. This therefore implies federal contracting and access to employment programs in Quebec specifically.

For Action travail des femmes, defending rights is essential and it is critical to fight against all forms of discrimination against women in the workforce, especially in so-called non-traditional sectors, where psychological and discriminatory harassment based on gender is a huge obstacle to women becoming and staying employed.

I will now turn things over to my colleague Marilyn.

[Marilyn Ouellet, Responsible for Equal Access Services, Action travail des femmes]

I am now going to deal with the matter of the devalued skills of immigrant women. For us, the situation of immigrant women specifically is important to discuss.

These women represent a growing population; however, they are underrepresented in the labour market and their rate of employment is much lower. Salaries are also lower and work conditions are less stable compared to immigrant men or women born in Canada.

The practices, rules and behaviours of the major players—the state, businesses, professional associations and universities—create these dynamics of exclusion.

The systemic discrimination we mentioned at the outset also affects young women in racialized groups who come to Canada in large numbers. For us, it is important to pay particular attention not only to sexism, but also to racism. Too often, racism and sexism intertwine to create major employment access obstacles for immigrant and racialized women.

The last aspect, though not the least, is the balance of work and family life. Establishing and maintaining a balance between work and family life remains critical in providing and maintaining access to employment for women. At the Université de Sherbrooke for example, a study conducted by the Research Chair in Taxation and Public Finance estimates that, in 2008, the subsidized daycare program in Quebec made it possible for at least 69,700 mothers to enter the job market. That is a considerable number.

So the program helps women to enter the job market, specifically young mothers and single mothers. This also contributes to the economic growth of the province. It is the kind of initiative that could inspire others, thereby increasing the equality of opportunity in terms of access to employment for all Canadians.

To conclude, we would like to remind you of our recommendations, in eight specific points.

First, to guarantee access to education for all, from kindergarten to university.

Second, to recognize and value the work of women in female occupations, in cooperation with public and private sectors, in order to achieve a genuine wage parity between men and women.

Third, we recommend promoting non-traditional occupations, gender-diverse workplaces and expanding career choices for girls, through, for example, awareness campaigns in high schools.

Fourth, for all businesses, the government must establish programs providing equality of access in employment and in federal contracts.

It must also support the Human Rights Commission in its role of monitoring those measures and doing more promotion of that program with entrepreneurs and businesses.

Next, the qualifications and skills of immigrant women must be recognized.

The involvement of fathers in domestic activities must also be promoted as a way to achieve a work-life balance; women must have access to employment specifically as the result of subsidized and accessible daycare services.

Lastly, the government must support organizations that stand up for the rights of women.

Thank you for your attention.

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

Thank you.

We now move to Ms. Cirondeye and Ms. Chakrouni.

You have 10 minutes.

[Siham Chakrouni, Provincial Coordinator, Community Services, Ontario Movement for Francophone Immigrant Women]

Good afternoon. thank you for having us here today to talk about this topic, which is really close to our hearts. I am Siham Chakrouni, provincial coordinator of the Ontario Movement for Francophone Immigrant Women (MOFIF).

Let me talk a little about MOFIF. It was officially founded on March 31, 2001, but it traces its origins to a 1996 meeting headed by the Table féministe francophone de concertation provinciale de l'Ontario. The meeting discussed the major issues surrounding the sponsorship of immigrant women.

At the beginning of this century, MOFIF continued to mobilize in order to work on specific matters of concern to the community of francophone women in Ontario with decision-making and community bodies. In 2004, MOFIF published a study on the impact of armed conflict on the integration of immigrant and refugee women in Ontario. It also developed an awareness and education package intended for those working with immigrant women.

In the years thereafter, MOFIF entered into more and more partnerships with community organizations, particularly those that advocate for women. For several years, MOFIF has also been investing in a popular education program in order to update its mission and to encourage the active participation of immigrant women in all spheres of society.

MOFIF is at the intersection of school and community life. The organization is unique to Ontario; its programs are tailored to and based on our knowledge of our environment. The women who work at MOFIF are immigrants themselves and are well aware of the challenges women face. Our offices are located in Toronto, but we have partnerships all over Ontario, such as in Ottawa, Windsor, Sudbury, London and elsewhere. Our staff, our members and our volunteers work on the ground and are ideally placed to know the concerns and the needs of women and girls.

We work together with organizations that provide direct services, such as the Oasis centre des femmes, the Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions, and Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes, as well as other partners and organizations. We organize workshops, we undertake studies to meet the needs of women and girls and, above all, to foster their economic development both directly and indirectly.

In the first years of its existence, MOFIF focused on women's welfare. For some years, we have turned our attention to the needs or challenges faced by girls because of the growing demand. After a community consultation and with the Trillium Foundation's financial support for MOFIF's strategic planning for 2011-2014, MOFIF has dedicated an entirely separate section of its mandate to girls.

Today, MOFIF's mandate is to work with the aim of improving the life conditions of francophone immigrant women and girls and to encourage their integration and active participation in all aspects of society.

Let me share with you some facts and figures. They come from a document called “Girls in Canada Today: National Opinion Poll and Report on the Status of Girls”. The poll was conducted in 2011 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. The Girls Action Foundation made the report public in order to raise awareness of the struggles still facing girls today and to empower more Canadians to make a difference for the next generation.

So here are the facts and figures. In terms of leadership, men outnumber women four to one among Canada's elected representatives. Only 4% of CEOs in Canada's top 500 companies are women. Two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. Young immigrant females are more likely to be unemployed than their older or Canadian-born counterparts.

In 2001, 14.9% of foreign-born female labour force participants aged 15 to 24 were unemployed. The experiences of young immigrant women vary, but can include culture shock, peer pressure, a lack of resources focusing on their needs, conflicts with their cultural background, discrimination, underemployment and racism.

Our project “Viser haut” received funding from Status of Women Canada. The aim of the project is to encourage women to get involved in decision-making positions such as boards of directors. The project was a real success. Women were given tools, through a comprehensive two-day training session on governance, including pre-training orientation and post-training placement.

We held a conference-debate day on March 31, 2012. We invited all the women who had participated in the projects. We heard their testimony and we had discussions afterwards. The women were grateful for being able to start getting involved in school boards and, for example, in organizations such as MOFIF. In fact, some of the women who took our training have already joined boards of directors.

I am going to name some of the projects MOFIF has done. In 2004, we did a project called “The impact of armed conflict on the integration of francophone immigrant women”. In 2008, a research action project was carried out, called “The analysis of francophone immigrant and refugee women living in Ontario away from their children”. There was also another research action project on adapting French-language services to combat domestic violence against women, members of francophone ethnocultural and racial minorities. The next project was called “Young francophone immigrant and refugee women in action” and the last one was on understanding the causes of domestic violence in ethnocultural and racial minority communities and some of the ensuing legal consequences.

Thank you for your attention.

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

And we thank you.

We will now move to the question period.

Ms. Truppe, you have seven minutes.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to thank everyone for their time in coming to the status of women committee. We really appreciate it.

This question is for ATF. My understanding is that your organization provides information sessions on entering non-traditional occupations. I was very happy to hear you say that Status of Women Canada gave you some money for one of your projects. I think it was around $205,000, if I'm not mistaken.

What did you do with the money to help the girls?

[Coline Camier]

Thank you.

Status of Women Canada did give us funding of $200,000 for a two-year project. The project has several different components. We have to work with women to raise their awareness of non-traditional sectors, and we also have to work with employers. Actually, raising awareness among employers as to the integration of women in those sectors is a major part of this project.

To date, we have been in contact with a lot of women. Lastly, we organized a job fair. Approximately 200 people participated. We had 25 exhibitors. And we received great feedback. We provided the women at the fair with new opportunities. Employers, adult training school representatives and sectoral committees were present, and everyone really appreciated the event, especially since it was an opportunity to recognize the current needs.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you.

[Coline Camier]

Does that answer your question?

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

Yes, it does. Thank you.

Most of the funding was to raise awareness for both the applicants and the businesses.

[Coline Camier]

Yes. Two weeks ago, we submitted a report that goes into a little more detail. If you wish, we can forward it to you.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

That would be great. Thank you.

What information are girls looking for at your sessions? When they attend the conference, what are they looking for? Do you speak to them and get some feedback?

[Coline Camier]

There is certainly a lack of information on the wide range of existing opportunities. Salaries are what gets their attention. As I said earlier, we can see a clear difference between traditionally female and traditionally male sectors. In addition, we demystify stereotypes. For example, some jobs are said to be more physically demanding, but that is not necessarily the case. Nor are those jobs anymore dangerous. We let women know that some jobs are not necessarily just for men or just for women. If they want and feel the need to go into less conventional sectors, they can.

Perhaps Marilyn would like to add something.

[Marilyn Ouellet]

I would like to share some comments that I have heard. In most cases, the women didn't actually know that those sectors even existed. So the goal is really to broaden the job opportunities. That means going beyond the jobs we often hear about in schools. It is really about opening the door and showing them the job opportunities they have.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

That sounds like a really great program and that it was very helpful for a lot of girls.

Can you provide any insight into what attracts or doesn't attract girls toward non-traditional occupations?

[Marilyn Ouellet]

Actually, most of the time, they don't even know that those job sectors exist. We have brought the list of occupations with us. I think that the list of non-traditional jobs is four pages long. They are usually quite specific jobs. Take Bombardier, for example, which can offer some 30 manual jobs. People often have no idea that those jobs exist. So the forum opened up those opportunities for women.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you.

Is there a specific group of girls you are working with right now, or is it just for any girls?

[Coline Camier]

Our mission is to work with socio-economically disadvantaged women. About 80% of women who come to us are immigrant women. A great deal of our work focuses on immigrant women, even in terms of changing careers; unfortunately, they often have to go into other sectors. So that is something we are trying to work on.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you.

How much time do I have left?

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

You have one minute and 15 seconds.

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you.

This question is for Siham. I was happy to hear that you received funding from Status of Women and Heritage Canada, and that you had a conference with some of the funding. You said it was very successful.

What was the most successful aspect of that conference?

We probably have only 50 seconds left.

Thanks.

[Siham Chakrouni]

Across Ontario, we have offered training to help women get involved in organizations and make decisions without being afraid to make a commitment. Over 120 women were trained, and it snowballed. We received requests from women who also want to get involved in that type of training.

On March 31, when we had to close this project, we invited all the women who participated in the training and they really thanked us. We also invited women who had already been integrated, who had their own companies, for example, or who are already members on boards of directors. We did that to show the other women that they too can get those kinds of jobs. They were really happy about that and they felt optimistic.

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

I have to interrupt you.

Thank you very much.

We are going to continue the question period with a representative from the official opposition.

Ms. Ashton, you have seven minutes.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to share my time with my colleague Anne-Marie Day.

First, I would like to thank all the witnesses from Action travail des femmes and from Ontario Movement for Francophone Immigrant Women.

My first question is for Ms. Chakrouni or Ms. Cirondeye. I will then yield the floor to my colleague.

We know that there have been cuts to organizations offering services to immigrants, especially in Ontario. Could you tell me if those cuts will have a negative impact on the living conditions of the immigrant women with whom you work or even an impact in general?