More than 60 Aboriginal women from across the province
will discuss ways in which their needs can be better understood by
government and community leaders during the fourth annual Aboriginal
Women�s Conference taking place March 3-4 at the Hotel Gander. The
Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, will be the
keynote speaker during the conference�s community banquet, which will
take place on March 3 at 6:30 p.m. The banquet is open to the media and
will include a traditional feast, cultural performances and a
traditional giveaway ceremony.
"Aboriginal women have unique needs and our government
is committed to offering opportunities for these women to express their
views and ideas on policies and programs designed for them, their
families and communities," said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale,
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. "This conference will
include representation from Innu, Inuit, Mik�maq, members of the
Labrador Metis Nation and urban Aboriginal groups and is invaluable to
government and community leaders who want to learn from them."
"It will be a great honour to once again speak to
delegates at the Aboriginal Women�s Conference," said Minister Pottle.
"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes that Aboriginal
women are a strong cultural and social force within their communities,
and this conference provides the ideal opportunity to celebrate the
immense contribution to the social fabric of Newfoundland and Labrador
made by Aboriginal women. I congratulate the organizers of the
conference for their hard work and look forward to speaking to delegates
who have come from all across Newfoundland and Labrador to attend."
Newfoundland and Labrador is recognized as a national
leader in addressing the needs of Aboriginal women through initiatives
such as the provincial Aboriginal Women�s Conference, which was first
held in March 2006 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. In 2007, the Provincial
Government was pleased to host the first-ever National Aboriginal
Women�s Summit in Corner Brook, which was followed by the establishment
of a Provincial Working Group to review recommendations made at the
national summit. The topics of this year�s Aboriginal Women�s Conference
stem from the recommendation that the needs of Aboriginal women should
be better incorporated into government programs and policies.
The conference will result in a report that outlines
the concerns, suggestions and recommendations raised by participants.
The report, when complete, will be posted on the Women�s Policy Office
website at www.gov.nl.ca/exec/wpo/.
The conference planning is a partnership between the
Women�s Policy Office and a steering committee consisting of seven women
from Aboriginal groups across the province.
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