Evidence of meeting #66 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was security.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
For rural members of Parliament, that's the first infrastructure they'd like to see, so there are some strong partnerships needed on that for sure.
NDP
Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you to all the witnesses. Your work is really helpful.
Liberal
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
I want to thank all of you for your testimony today.
My first question is to the First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security. In your testimony, Ms. Lee, you mentioned the dilemma in terms of not only getting a career but also career advancement because of child care, as well as the on-reserve and off-reserve opportunities.
I know there are head start programs and other early learning programs, but could you tell us a little about what existing programs there are and what is working in those programs? Also, where the gaps are, on reserve or off reserve. My understanding is that there seems to be a concern that as soon as a woman goes off reserve she loses some of that early learning and child care funding.
What is working well and what would we need to do to improve that?
Chair, First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security
I think what is working well are programs like head start that really honour who they are as indigenous children. They are allowed to have that foundation that's rooted in their culture. They learn the language. Those programs, as I said, are re-instilling that resiliency and that strong cultural foundation of who they are. Programs like that definitely work. Definitely, more of those programs are always welcomed and very much needed.
Council Member, First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security
When women come to the urban centres, they don't always have access to the services provided on reserve. So they end up having to pay for their own child care, which oftentimes runs anywhere from $800 a month.... Poverty is certainly a huge issue and I think that needs to be addressed, as well as looking at more services, like the preschool programs, for women living off reserve.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
If there were additional funding available, where would you see it best used? What kind of programming?
Chair, First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security
I personally think really developing...and teaching people how to be healthy families. Again, the residential school and the history of colonization really disrupted that notion of healthy families. So it's really rebuilding those foundations in the community.
Council Member, First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security
Of course, you need to look at transportation and child care. Those are huge barriers for employment success.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Thank you.
Now to the Métis Women's Council, it's the same question, although my understanding is that there are gaps in terms of the programs that are available for Métis women. If there were more resources, where would you see those resources going?
Co-Chair, Métis Women's Council on Economic Security
The one that I would like to personally see happen in all communities for our populations, whether it's Métis, Inuit, or first nations, is parent link centres. There is an aboriginal parent link centre in Stony Plain, which works really well with parents and young children. It's not necessarily re-teaching parenting skills even though it's called a parent link centre. There are all kinds of things there. It shows parents the value of their children's education. It gives the parents an opportunity to spend time with their children that's not necessarily in the home, and perhaps is an activity that they may not have an opportunity to do. Parent link centres are working well. We only have one aboriginal one in Alberta, in Stony Plain. We would love to see more focus on those parent link centres.
I don't know if you have anything to add.
Co-Chair, Métis Women's Council on Economic Security
I would totally agree with that, Val.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Recognizing the differences in culture, both in early learning but also in employment, in my constituency, the federal government just put $22 million into an innovation, entrepreneurship, and learning centre at Algonquin College. It includes a specific centre for indigenous entrepreneurship, but also makes links in the community, recognizing that the way in which indigenous students—in this case, women—go about building businesses and networking is different.
I know you mentioned entrepreneurship as one means towards better employment. How can we ensure that this is supported?
Co-Chair, Métis Women's Council on Economic Security
If I can interject here, while $22 million is great, I think one of the key things that are often lacking is the accountability and how effectively those funds are administered. We would find that—and I think my colleagues on the first nations council would agree—from kindergarten to grade 12, through post-secondary training programs, funds that are earmarked for indigenous peoples are often not necessarily directed to indigenous peoples. I think if the funds that were to be specific to our communities were actually directed there, that in itself would be a huge step forward.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
In this case, it's infrastructure funding to build the centre. Yes, I can see...because it is part of a larger learning centre.
Co-Chair, Métis Women's Council on Economic Security
Even in terms of infrastructure, if you're going to build a building to service indigenous peoples, consult with us on what works for us, what kind of space we need to learn effectively.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Okay. Thank you.
Ms. Lee, you mentioned the distinctive names that indigenous women have, and that when they put this on a job application, there may be some stereotyping or a reticence among some employers to hire on that basis.
The federal public service is looking right now at name-blind hiring practices. Do you think that would be helpful in this regard?
Chair, First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security
Definitely, definitely, especially in the small rural communities, because in a small rural community on reserve there's a limited business structure to get employment. Most people are trying to seek employment in the neighbouring rural communities where, just like small towns, people are going to hire their own. They'll hire their own. I think that practice would really strengthen the equality.
Co-Chair, Métis Women's Council on Economic Security
Sometimes the opposite holds true. If you have a name like Crowshoe, you might be preferred because the hiring committee wants to be perceived as hiring indigenous. How better than to have someone called Crowshoe as opposed to Steeves?
Liberal
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Thank you very much, Ms. Steeves, Ms. Kaufman, Ms. Lee, and Ms. Poitras for being here today to testify.
My first question is for the First Nations Women's Council.
I'm a very big advocate of mental health. I believe that belief in self certainly allows one to have greater efficacy within the world. What specifically would you say the obstacles are to receiving good mental health treatment and programs? What are you lacking? What are the obstacles?
Chair, First Nations Women's Council on Economic Security
The main obstacle is access to services. When you're in a first nations community, the health services that are provided do not reflect the same services that are available in the off-reserve community. Mental health off reserve has counsellors and therapists. On reserve, those services are not mirrored, so they're not as accessible.
Also, funding around mental health prevention.... Provide mental health prevention that's culturally appropriate and community mandated and developed, all the way from prevention along the continuum to treatment, and then also treatment including.... Suicide is very high in our communities. Once community members leave a mental health facility, if they go off reserve, they're going to have a community health nurse who makes sure they're following up on their care. If they go on reserve, they literally almost fall off the grid.
There are different privacy acts that each jurisdiction is bound to. My colleague mentioned Jordan's principle and the jurisdictional barriers. Those barriers appear everywhere. If people were to go off reserve, they would have access to mental health supports. In the community, those are limited.
Access to equitable services would be my answer.
