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YWCA Canada Calls for Federal Spending to Reduce the Impact on Women “Where is the Gender Lens?”
2009/01/27
YWCA Canada, the country’s oldest and largest women’s multi-service agency welcomes the federal government’s announced spending on social housing, skills and training and social infrastructure for First Nations and calls on the government to ensure that federal budget spending reduces the impact of the recession on Canadian women.
YWCA Canada recognizes the confidence placed in us by the government targeting $15 million in youth internship spending to YWCA and YMCA.
“The government has set up some very inclusive spending with this budget for First Nations, seniors and people with disabilities, but we don’t see an awareness that Canadian women are very vulnerable in hard times,” says YWCA Canada CEO Paulette Senior. “Two-thirds of Canadians working for minimum wage are women, many taking any work they can find to hold family and community together. Government stimulus spending must take this into account.”
“As the largest provider of literacy, life skills, employment and counselling programs in the country, YWCA Canada welcomes federal investment in training,” says Senior. “We have heard from our YWCAs around the country that employment training programs and support for women working to upgrade their education is essential. The government needs to put a gender lens on this funding and make sure it gets where women need it. With $12 billion targeted to infrastructure over two years, investment in training needs to ensure that women can access this work.”
"The hole in this budget is child care services. For Canadian women and their families, child care is missing, and it is vital,” says Senior. “Everything we know about building strong families says child care services are essential. And that goes double for women needing to leave violent situations. They need affordable, quality care for their children so they can go out and work. Childcare not only creates jobs but it supports women and their families. Now is the time.” The budget announced $200 million for social housing in the north, a much needed investment.
The budget included structural changes to pay equity originally announced in the November economic statement. “We are very sorry to hear the government’s position on pay equity” says Paulette Senior. “Especially as job stimulus spending is concentrated in employment sectors heavily dominated by men. The government needs to rethink its position on this equality issue and take the advice of its own task force.”
“Today’s budget announcement recognizes the urgent need for spending across sectors,” says Senior. “With this promise now on the horizon, we look forward to working with the government to help implement a gender focus in the rolling out of new programs and services that will truly support Canada’s most vulnerable women and their families”.
