TORONTO, ONT.
Collaboration is the key for ministers to help advance gender equality across Canada.
This was the main theme of the 35th annual meeting of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women held Nov. 8 to 10 in Toronto.
“It is great to see jurisdictions across Canada come together to support our common goal of advancing key priorities that affect women and girls. If we are going to see significant change, we need the perspectives of all sides,” said Paula Biggar, P.E.I.’s minister responsible for the Status of Women.
“Together we will help build a stronger and brighter future for all Canadians built on equality and fairness.”
The ministers had the opportunity to discuss various issues including the low reporting rates of sexual assaults across Canada. Ministers recognized the efforts taken by law enforcement and community groups to find ways of working together to better support survivors of sexual violence.
Key priorities discussed at the event, included research to close the gender wage gap and practices to apply Gender-based Analysis Plus.
In P.E.I., this has meant the creation of a Gender and Diversity Guide for provincial government as well as two new gender and diversity guides to specifically support community groups as well as agencies, boards and commissions.
Biggar also informed those attending of new provincial funding for Violence Against Women Prevention Grants for not-for-profit groups. Grant recipients will be named on Nov. 24.
During a separate pre-meeting, for the first time, ministers held discussions with national Indigenous leaders and representatives. The discussions provided an opportunity to constructively address some of the most important issues facing First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women.
The RCMP, Waterloo Regional Police and the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia were invited to present on best practices for supporting survivors to report sexual assault.
The RCMP is working with interested jurisdictions and communities to explore expanding third-party reporting, a process where a survivor may anonymously report a sexual assault through a community-based organization.
The federal government also shared details on It’s Time: Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence and proposed survey on gender-based violence.
