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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