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ADVOCACY ISSUES IN CANADA

Learn about Canadian political system, human rights, child marriage laws, advocacy initiatives, and indigenous issues in Canada. Get insights on equality, justice, and government actions promoting progressive change in Canada's social landscape.

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ADVOCACY ISSUES IN CANADA

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  1. ADVOCACY ISSUES IN CANADA Connie Deckert D4 Advocacy Co-Chair Canada Zonta Club of Kitchener-Waterloo June 8, 2019

  2. CANADIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM • FEDERAL: Parliament: House of Commons - Elected - 338 Members (170) (27.2%) (88) Senate – Appointed - 105 members (40%) • Leader: Prime Minister - no term limits • Cabinet is picked from the Party in power (50/50) • Elections every 5 years or less • Separate organization to run the elections- Elections Canada

  3. CANADA - 10 PROVINCES AND 3 TERRITORIES • Most populous provinces: British Columbia, Ontario & Quebec • Quebec is primarily French-speaking • Provinces have Legislatures and the Leader is the Premier • Elections every 4 years or less (Minority) • Territories have a Legislative Assembly • Separate organizations run elections in the Provinces and Territories • Party affiliation is declared at the Federal/Provincial/Territorial level not at Municipal • Judges are appointed

  4. CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS • Canadian Constitution was repatriated from Britain in 1982 -applies to individual Human Rights (1985) • Section 15 • Race, national or ethnic origin, colour, sex, age, mental or physical disability. Added through court decisions – citizenship, marital status and sexual orientation • Section 28 • All rights apply equally to men and women

  5. CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACT • EQUALITY, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, FAIR TREATMENT, EVIRONMENT FREE OF DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, MARITAL STATUS AND FAMILY STATUS • PROTECTS CANADIANS WHEN THEY ARE EMPLOYED OR RECEIVE SERVICES FROM; Federal Government First Nations Governments Private Companies regulated by the Federal Government, Banks, Trucking, Broadcasters and Telecommunications

  6. OVERSIGHT ORGANIZATIONS • CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: Investigate & Settle Complains to Discrimination • CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL: Makes Decisions and awards Settlements • EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT • PUBLIC SECTOR EQUITABLE COMPENSATION ACT

  7. CHILD MARRIAGE IN CANADA CANADA IS A LEADING ADVOCATE & SUPPORTER OF EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CHILD MARRIAGE GLOBALLY • 2011-2016 $80 million • 2017 $650 million over 3 years for sexual and reproductive health plus • PREVENT AND RESPOND TO EARLY/FORCED MARRIAGE CANADA • Since 2015 the Minimum Age for Marriage is 16 (Federally) • The Provinces have set the Age of Majority at 18 or 19. Minors under this age have additional restrictions - they must have Parental or Court Consent • If someone participates, celebrates or aids a marriage ceremony knowing that one of the participants is under 16, they are guilty of an indictable offence - imprisonment up to 5 years • CIVIL MARRIAGE ACT - No person under the Age of 16 may contract marriage • Prior to 2015 it was possible for minors under the age of 16 to marry with parental consent in some jurisdictions in Canada

  8. CEDAW Signed in 1980 & Ratified in 1981 • Latest review - 8th and 9th Periodic Report – October 2016 • Previous report - 2008 • Change in Government - Change in Focus CANADA CHILD CARE BENEFIT - helps families with cost of childcare, establishment of a poverty reduction strategy EARLY LEARNING & CHILDCARE FRAMEWORK - deliver affordable, high quality, flexible, fully inclusive child care for Canadian families PAY EQUITY LEGISLATION - provisions or policies in place in most jurisdictions (Public Service)

  9. CEDAW • Ontario & Quebec - Equal Pay - Equal Work - Private Sector • VAW - series issue - working with Provinces to establish a National Strategy • UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE includes Sexual & Reproductive Health Care, Services & Information • PRESCRIPTIONS (65), BIRTH CONTROL (25) FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS • NATIONAL HOUSING STRATEGY - Federal Government support for Affordable Housing, Housing First and help Homeless find housing • $90 million over 2 years for the Construction and Renovations of Shelters & Transition Houses for Victims of Family Violence - Provinces & Territories

  10. CEDAW • REVIEW OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM & SENTENCING REFORMS WORKING TO ADDRESS GAPS IN SERVICES TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES & THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS THROUGHTOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM • COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION W/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES – ACCEPTED RECOMMENDATIONS OF TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE – WORKING WITH LEADERS OF FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT COMMUNITIES • IN ONTARIO $250 million – RESIDENTIAL LEGACY SCHOOLS – CLOSING GAPS & REMOVING BARRIERS – CREATING A CULTURALLY RELEVANT & RESPONSIVE SYSTEM • CANADA IS NOW A SUPPORTER OF THE UN DECLARATION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE (2016) (2007-NO)

  11. INDIGENOUS ISSUES • IN JUNE OF 2016 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIES MET WITH INDIGENOUS LEADERS AT THE FPTIF FORUM TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN CANADA. THEY DISCUSSED VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & GIRLS. THERE WERE NUMEROUS CALLS TO ACTION AND THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN NATIONAL INQUIRY WAS ESTABLISHED • ADVICE ON HOW TO SET UP THE INQUIRY WAS GIVEN BY HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS AT THE UN & THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS • CANADA/US/MEXICO FORMED A TRILATERAL WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESSS VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS WOMEN & GIRLS AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO REGIONAL EFFORTS TO END TRAFFICKING

  12. COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY ISSUES • The Federal Government of Canada has elevated the ‘Status of Women’ Agency to a full Cabinet portfolio. It is now known as WOMEN &GENDER EQUALITY • Minister MaryAm Mousef holds two portfolios: MINISTER FOR WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY (Canada) MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (International) • BUDGET 2019: Women’s Programs $160 million over 5 years $100 million per year 2023-2024 • Support for Economic Participation, Leadership, Access to Justice and Freedom from Violence • Chapter in the Budget details the impact of Gender Budgeting & Gender Gender Results Framework

  13. GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT • On International Women’s Day the Federal Government announced investments in more than 250 Women’s and Indigenous Organizations. The funding is to ensure they can continue providing essential supports to women and their families under the Capacity Building Fund. This was announced in Budget 2018 and is $100 M over 5 years to support a viable & sustainable Women’s movement across Canada. • It is forecasted the Gender Equality will boost Canada’s GDP by $150 billion by 2026 • A GENDER RESULTS PORTAL has been established to gather data, establish Benchmarks and help with Gender Based Analysis—Treasury Board, Employment & Social Development and Heritage Canada are participating • $20 million over 2 years to aid in capacity building and committee work for LGBTQ2 Service organizations to address persisting disparities

  14. GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT • Amendments to the Federal Financial Institutions Statues – new requirements for Federally regulated Institutions to disclose policies promoting Gender Diversity on Boards and in Senior Management • $2 million of Federal funding went to the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children at Althouse College at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. • Barb McQuarrie, the Centre’s Director stated that ‘Training is part of the bigger picture of creating social change where we, as a society realize domestic violence comes to work & impacts the workplace. • This training is in response to Bill C65 which recognizes violence as a workplace hazard & requires training for Employers & Employees

  15. WOMEN DELIVER 2019 • Canada just hosted Women Deliver 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia from June 3-6. • World’s largest gathering on Gender Equality & Health, Rights & Well-Being of Women and Girls • 6000 attending from 160 countries • World leaders, influencers, advocates, academics, activists, youth & journalists • It is not a conference - it’s a movement to advance the health, rights and well being of women & girls • Gives voice to a broad spectrum of people including Indigenous, Youth,& people living in conflict and crisis settings

  16. POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN CANADA • THERESE CASGRAIN – a noted Canadian feminist, politician & Senator stated “In a democracy all citizens are governed by the same laws but these are general drawn up and enacted by men. If society is to be improved, a greater number of competent women must make their presence felt in all spheres of life - politics included.” • We are having a Federal Election in October. In recent Provincial Elections some of the new Premiers are populist, right-leaning and fiscally stringent—health & social service programs are under attack • 3 National Organizations – the YWCA, the Elizabeth Fry Society and the Women’s Legal and Action Fund to see what their top advocacy issues are

  17. CANADIAN CONCERNS • The YWCA is national organization that has been working on behalf of women and girls in Canada for over 100 years. The Executive Director of the Kitchener-Waterloo branch is Elizabeth Clarke who has been a member of the Zonta Club for a number of years. Currently she is on leave as she has been elected to the Region of Waterloo Council and is chairing a Committee on Social Housing. • Here are Elizabeth’s Top 4 issues: • AFFORDABLE HOUSING – Rent and Housing Costs are becoming unaffordable especially in major Canadian cities. The government of British Columbia just did an inquiry into money laundering and the effect is it having on housing costs. • CHILDCARE – There is no national strategy – costs vary by Province-Quebec has a provincial subsidized plan and their childcare costs are the lowest in the country

  18. CANADIAN CONCERNS Economic Inequality – Gender Pay Gap: • Canada: $1 earned by a male = $0.84 earned by a female (middle vs rest of the world) • France: $1 earned by a male = $0.88 earned by a female • Germany: $1 earned by a male = $0.78 earned by a female • In the Executive Suite the disparity is larger: $1 male - $0.68 female • Annually the men will make $950,000 more!

  19. CANADIAN CONCERNS • Gun Control • Licencing • Restrictions on Transport • Population is 36 million - 2 million guns • Major cities - drug wars, gun violence, people hurt in shootings • Physicians - public health issue - have formed the Canadian • Doctors for Protection From Guns - calling for a ban on handguns & assault rifles • Majority of gun deaths in Canada are by suicide

  20. CANADIAN CONCERNS • The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Society - this organization works with women and girls in the Justice system • Elizabeth Fry was an English Prison Reformer, social reformer and as a Quaker, a Christian Philanthropist – she was know as the ‘Angel of Prisons’ • They are working on these issues: • Elimination of the use of segregation (solitary confinement) in women’s prisons, including those in Maximum Security • The abolition of the use of strip searching in women’s prisons • Replacing incarceration with community-based alternatives • Advocating for a Guaranteed Livable Income, safe affordable housing and high-quality childcare • STRIDE

  21. CANADIAN CONCERNS • Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF) • This organization was formed when the Constitution was Re-Patriated in 1982. Changes were to be made to our laws by 1985 and the women “Didn’t trust the guys in the suits’ so they formed LEAF. LEAF monitors court cases involving women and children and gains intervenor status if they have concerns. This organization is unique in the world and other countries consult and visit LEAF. • They have begun the FEMINIST STRATEGIC LITIGATION PROJECT to evaluate past strategic litigation work. They want to develop a 5 year strategic litigation plan to help LEAF and Gender Equality Advocates to work more effectively towards substantive equality for women and girls. • 1. Where and how is LEAF’s legal work most effective? • 2. What issues are most important to women and girls across Canada

  22. CANADIAN CONCERNS - LEAF • Over the 3 years of the project LEAF will be reaching out to other organizations and individuals in Feminist Advocacy and Service Delivery. (Zonta) • They will have consultations, conduct a needs assessment survey and hold a symposium to bring together experts on law and gender equality. They want to include people who have a ‘lived experience of inequality. LEAF has put together an Advisory Committee of Organizations and Individuals in the Equality Field to guide them.

  23. #METOO • The movement has spread across Canada, due to more publicity of incidents and harassment in the workplace. • Our local Sexual Assault Support Centre which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary has been swamped with requests for counselling. They have also started a Male Allies Program to work with Men. Male sports Teams are going through the training. • The White Ribbon campaign was founded in Canada in response to the murder of 14 women Engineering students at L’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6/89. It is a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women. • Each day in Canada app. 3000 women and children seek emergency shelters to escape domestic violence

  24. #METOO IN CANADA – VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN • 25% of murdered women had left their spouses • 60% of dating violence occurs after the relationship has ended • 60% of victims of sexual violence are under Age 24 • 60% of women with a disability experience some for of violence • 16% of women live in rural areas yet they account for 34% of the deaths • In our area the women’s shelters have almost doubled in size. They have recently started an awareness campaign entitled: ‘SHE IS YOUR NEIGHBOUR’ with first person accounts of domestic violence

  25. INDIGENOUS WOMEN • In 2015 the United Nations made 38 recommendations to Canada re: Violence Against Native Women. They also included a mechanism to monitor implementation • The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Inquiry began in September of 2016. Its original term was extended and it will wrap up this month • 3 previous reports highlighted poor communication between the various levels of government • Distrust of police • Lack of transportation (Highway of Tears) • Poverty • Lack of education • Make up 5% of the population but 36% of the woman killed last year • Status issues

  26. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION • www.cfc-swc.gc.ca Status of Women Canada/Women & Gender Equality • www.coolwomen.ca History & Contributions of Women to Canada • www.canadianwomenvoterscongress.org Campaign School for women thinking of running for office: www.equalvote.ca Helps more women get into Politics www.fairvote.ca Working towards proportional representation www.leaf.ca Women’s Legal Education Action Fund www.cedaw.org Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

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