Status of Women Canada (SWC) had been working towards the same specific strategic outcome every year since at least 2008, which is as far back as the reports are available online.
“Our raison d’être is the goal of advancing the equality of women in Canadian society and fostering the full participation of women in the economic, social, and democratic life of our country,” then-minister Josée Vernier’s 2008-09 plans and priorities report states.
The 2013-14 report, released on Wednesday, substitutes this with a more general objective: “Equality between women and men is promoted and advanced in Canada.”
“I think it’s definitely a weaker statement,” said NDP Status of Women critic Niki Ashton. “It’s in line with the trend that we’ve seen under the Harper government, which was to weaken the mandate both in terms of the stated mandate and financially.”
The change was downplayed by a SWC spokeswoman, who wrote in an email that the new strategic outcome is consistent with the government’s commitment “to advancing equality between women and men.”
This year’s report also drops any mention of specific performance targets.
Since the 2009-10 report under former minister Helena Guergis, the department has consistently called for a 1 per cent increase every year in the representation of women in senior decision-making positions in the public and private sectors; in the the labour market; and in the political process at the local, provincial and federal levels.
“The removal of these targets — which we in the NDP didn’t feel were high enough — speaks to how Status of Women under the Harper government has been watered down and is not delivering the kind of leadership that Canadian women deserve,” Ashton said.
The SWC described the process as a regular revision, and denied it would have an impact on the agency’s work.
“In line with Treasury Board policy, departments and agencies are requested to regularly update their accountability mechanisms, including performance indicators, in order to enhance overall quality of planning and reporting to Canadians. This process does not alter the mandate, mission or resources of Status of Women Canada,” Nanci-Jean Waugh, SWC’s director general of communications, said in an email.
The three key areas remain the same for the department going forward: promoting women’s economic security and prosperity; ending violence against women and girls; and encouraging women to assume leadership and decision-making roles. However, the report only lays out general plans for achieving these goals — such as providing funding and professional assistance to relevant organizations. There are no measurements or targets for getting the job done.
“The reality is Canadian women continue to be unequal,” Ashton said. “Instead of weakening the Status of Women mandate, we need to have a stronger departmental role.”
The status of the Status of Women has long been declining on Parliament Hill — most visibly, it no longer has a dedicated minister. Rona Ambrose assumed the Status of Women duties alongside her demanding Public Works portfolio after Guergis was dropped from the party ranks. The assignment became permanent.
Original Article
Source: ipolitics.ca
Author: Sonya Bell
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