The New Democrat Members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women are concerned that the final report Improving Economic Prosperity for Canadian Girl does not reflect the scope of the testimony heard from the 40 witnesses who testified before the committee. We are also concerned that the scope of the study itself was limited to changes that could be made only by Status of Women Canada. The committee heard about widespread barriers that prevent Canadian women and girls from participating in the workforce and subsequent recommendations to help women prosper economically.

While New Democrats agree with a number of the recommendations in the report, some recommendations listed in the final report do not accurately reflect what was recommended to the committee by expert witnesses. Instead, the recommendations in this report exclude directives to the federal government to take concrete steps to improve economic prospects for Canadian girls. 

Scope

The Committee limited the study only to changes that could be made by Status of Women Canada. New Democrats believe that advancing the equality of women and girls in Canada is the responsibility of all agencies and federal departments, not just Status of Women Canada. In fact, the 1995 Federal Plan for Gender Equality acknowledges the cross-cutting nature of gender issues, and the importance of horizontal collaboration among federal government departments. In addition, Status of Women Canada’s capacity to advance women’s equality in Canada has been limited by funding cuts and restrictions to the mandate of the Women’s Program. This study should have taken a broader approach and acknowledge the responsibility of all federal departments in advancing gender equality in Canada.

Partnerships

Numerous recommendations in the report, while useful, involve other departments and creating partnerships[i]. New Democrats hope that these recommendations will be considered by other departments.

Some recommendations in the report recommend that Status of women encourage partnerships and programs to advance the economic prosperity of girls in Canada, which is a passive role. New Democrats want Status of Women to take an active role and support programs and partners.

New Democrats recommend that Status of Women Canada encourage and support partnerships with other departments and create new partnerships to advance the economic prospects of Canadian girls and young women.

Usefulness

New Democrats and other committee members were given the impression that the study would help direct the work of Status of Women.

In June 2012, Status of Women Canada announced it would receive funding applications for its call for proposals entitled “Setting the Stage for Girls and Women to Succeed”, intended to fund projects to “strengthen[ing] girls’ and young women’s economic prosperity”. The deadline for applications was August 10 2012[ii], before the Standing Committee on the Status of Women finished review of this report.

Aboriginal Girls and Young Women

The committee heard testimony that Aboriginal girls and young women face disproportionate and higher levels of violence, lower high-school completion rates, higher teen pregnancy and birthrates, higher rates of involvement in the criminal justice system, and higher rates of poverty than non-Aboriginal girls and young women. These barriers prevent Aboriginal girls and women from achieving economic prosperity.

Many witnesses testified that improving educational opportunities for Aboriginal girls attending on-reserve schools would help improve their economic prospects. Education can give girls the tools they need to participate in the workforce.

Recommendations to improve education for girls attending on-reserve schools including matching funding for on-reserve schools with per-student funding levels with their respective provincial or territorial levels  and improvements to the K-12 curriculum were excluded from the final report. [iii]

New Democrats recommend that through negotiation and consultation with Aboriginal organizations and communities, the federal government improve education for Aboriginal girls and young women by increasing funding to on-reserve schools.

Further recommendations proposed more culturally appropriate supports for Aboriginal girls leaving reserves for school or work, including support for friendship centres, and on-going support and training through their career development.[iv] Aboriginal women in particular face challenges when moving to urban centres, because they do not have the same support systems as when they were in their community.

New Democrats recommend that in consultation with Aboriginal organizations and communities, Status of Women Canada work with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development to support Friendship Centres, particularly to provide appropriate cultural supports to Aboriginal girls and young women moving to urban centres for school or work.

Sexual Health

New Democrats received testimony surrounding the importance of investments in “broadly based sexual health education”.[v] Teaching women about their reproductive rights gives girls and young women knowledge they need to take control of their own lives.

One witness said in testimony:

It's important particularly for this study, though, because we can't look at economic prospects and development for Canadian women and girls without understanding that without having control of your own reproductive health, your own body, and your own choices, having full, true economic justice and economic prospects will never be achieved. We can't be worrying on the one hand about whether we're going to have control over planning our families or getting out of a violent or abusive relationship on the ground and also be trying to plan all of the other economic prospects that we say we want.[vi]

New Democrats recommend that Status of Women Canada and Health Canada, in consultation with the provinces and territories, fund projects that target the development of healthy relationships, including sexual education and reproductive health.

Barriers to Participation 

Poverty

The committee heard that girls and young women living in poverty is an obstacle to their economic participation and prosperity. Obtaining an education, housing, transportation, and other goods and services needed to be in the labour market are more difficult when girls and women live in poverty.

A number of witnesses testified that young women are more likely to hold jobs that are part-time, precarious, or temporary. These jobs may be lower paying, have few benefits, no workplace compensation, and may not qualify women working in these jobs for employment insurance.

One witness recommended that the government address the issue of under-employment and precarious work, as young women are among the most likely to work in these conditions.[vii]

Childcare

The committee heard testimony that childcare and related supports were widely identified as necessary to permit and encourage the economic participation and prosperity of young women who are mothers.[viii]

New Democrats recommend working with the provinces and territories to establish and fund a Canada-wide child care and early learning program allowing  more young women with children to enter the workforce.

Housing

The committee heard from witnesses that inadequate access to housing prevents women from entering the workforce. This is particularly the case for anyone relocating from rural to urban areas or Aboriginal girls moving off reserve.

New Democrats echo sentiments from witness recommendations that greater support, including access to affordable housing, to girls and young women who do have to relocate for education of employment is needed.[ix]

New Democrats recommend that the Government work with the provinces and territories to establish a National Housing Strategy to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for all Canadians.

Encouragement and Role Modeling 

Several witnesses recommended the federal government create partnerships to create programming to encourage girls and young women to pursue non-traditional employment.[x]

One witness testified:

These types of programs are playing a significant role in building resiliency and economic independence among girls and young women. This will also result in a significant overall contribution to economic prosperity and a much needed boost to diversity and the job force.[xi]

Recommendations to convene a meeting with partners to build a national strategy targeting science education from K-12, collaborating with universities and colleges to increase the enrolment and graduation of young women in non-traditional programs, develop partnerships between industries and schools, and determine the role of federal government in funding youth apprenticeships, school-to-work transition programs and other employability training programs were excluded from the final report.

The committee heard testimony from witnesses that a lack of female role models in non-traditional careers, such as engineering or the trades, meant girls could not imagine themselves pursuing these fields. Several witnesses testified that role models will encourage young women to enter non-traditional careers.

Many witnesses recommended that role modeling be widely promoted with the aim of inspiring young girls to enter the workforce, particularly in non-traditional employment.[xii]

As time goes on, girls may lose role models because of the instability women in the workforce face while trying to find a work-life balance. Often women leave the workforce, take part-time, or shift work because they are the primary care-giver in their families. Addressing barriers that prevent women from entering the workforce will provide girls with more role models in various careers.