Executive Council
June 22, 2007

Status of Women Ministers and Aboriginal Women Hold Special Meeting

The Honourable Joan Burke, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, hosted a meeting of her provincial and territorial colleagues and members of the National Women�s Association of Canada (NWAC) during the final day of the National Aboriginal Women�s Summit (NAWS) in Corner Brook.

"It was important to provide an opportunity for Status of Women ministers and Aboriginal women to have a one-on-one discussion about the challenges and priorities for Aboriginal women in their communities," said Minister Burke. "The National Aboriginal Women�s Summit was a landmark event. I am very encouraged that ministers have seen the value in engaging in productive and informative discussions with Aboriginal women. It certainly speaks to the importance being given to issues affecting Aboriginal women everywhere."

The meeting was attended by Beverly Jacobs, president of NWAC, and several board members, including the Newfoundland and Labrador representatives, Dorothy George and Annette Broomfield. Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women were present from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Nunavut.

Many priorities were identified during the discussions, including the need for jurisdictions, groups and agencies to share best practices on initiatives such as the development of educational tools to combat violence. The women also noted that significant actions are required at all levels of community and government to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal women.

Annette Broomfield of Happy Valley-Goose Bay said she was very pleased to attend the meeting of ministers today, adding NAWS has been a very positive experience. "Aboriginal women have many common issues and have been given the opportunity to voice them," said Ms. Bloomfield. "I look forward to the federal government�s positive contribution in working towards a strategy to address those issues."

Dorothy George of Halfway Point said, "This first national conference has allowed all Aboriginal women to have a very honest input into the solutions of violence against women, reflecting a true spirit of inclusiveness as felt by all Aboriginal women. Thank you to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the NWAC for giving all Aboriginal women an opportunity to identify solutions and I believe we will start to see solutions, as identified by the delegates, become reality in the near future."

The information and recommendations coming from NAWS will inform the next Federal/Provincial/Territorial meeting of Status of Women ministers in Iqualuit in July.

"I look forward to meeting with all my federal, provincial and territorial colleagues and discussing the incredible bank of knowledge and wisdom displayed during the summit," said Minister Burke. "As a result of the summit, ministers responsible for the Status of Women will have a much more informed and fruitful discussion of the issues that are important to Aboriginal women."

-30-

Media contact:
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education/Women�s Policy Office
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca

2007 06 22                                                    3:55 p.m.

 


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement