NLIS 6
October 4, 2005
(Executive Council)
 

Minister provides update on gender balance within government

Joan Burke, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, said today government is committed to gender equity in its hiring and appointment practices for all departments, agencies, boards and commissions.

�Candidates are selected for positions based on their ability, experience and qualifications. To suggest that a change in leadership is in any way connected to a person�s gender is false and unfair to each and every one of the women who hold such positions now within government,� said Minister Burke. �It should also be noted that many government appointed positions are contractual and it is normal government practice to seek out other candidates at the end of these contracts. Several key positions within government are filled by women and, quite frankly, the assumption that a change occurs based on a person�s gender is ridiculous.�

Recent appointments to senior-level positions in government have included:

  • Sheila Kelly Blackmore, Chair of the Provincial Rural Secretariat Regional Councils and Vice-chair of the Business Advisory Board
  • Sandra Barnes, Deputy Clerk, Executive Council
  • Brenda Caul, Deputy Minister of Environment
  • Darlene Neville, Child and Youth Advocate
  • Marilyn McCormack, Deputy Child and Youth Advocate
  • Josephine Cheeseman, Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Acting) � Communications
  • Joan Cleary, Chair, Workplace, Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
  • Rebecca Roome, Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
  • Leslie Galway, Deputy Minister of Business
  • Valerie Marshall, Chair, Labour Relations Board

In addition, nine of the 14 appointments to the new board of the College of the North Atlantic are now comprised of women, 60 of the 134 people appointed to the new Rural Secretariat Regional Councils are women and 50 per cent of the appointed members of the new Integrated Health Authorities are women.

�As a government, we stated very clearly at the beginning of our mandate that we will ensure government policies and practices reflect the concerns and experiences of women and fully respect women�s rights,� said Minister Burke. �We have not waivered from that commitment and continue to work to advance the status of women within government and indeed, across our province.�

The preparation of the poverty reduction strategy, the new Violence Prevention Program and the government�s work on child care within the last six months have all included specific consultations with women and women�s organizations throughout the province.

The government is also making progress on a yearly basis for women in leadership positions. In 2002-03, 34.4 per cent of the board appointments went to women, 35 per cent in 2003-04, and 36 per cent 2004-05. For the first six months of 2005-06, the number of appointments of women has ranged at any given time between 38 per cent and 43 per cent.

�We will continue to work hard to raise opportunities for women within government and to improve on the level of representation by women in these roles,� said Minister Burke. �Working toward gender equity is of critical importance to me on both a personal level and as Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. Under the leadership of Premier Danny Williams and with the cooperation of my cabinet colleagues, we are making progress and should recognize the valuable contribution of the many women who are in positions of leadership today.�

Media contact: Jacquelyn Howard, Communications, (709) 729-4062, 689-2624

2005 10 04                     3:55 p.m.


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