The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development:

Women Continue to Progress into Senior Leadership Roles

For many years women is Newfoundland and Labrador have been at the forefront of community and economic development. In more recent times, women are progressing into more senior leadership roles in a variety of sectors in regions throughout this province.

The fact that the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale is Newfoundland and Labrador’s first female Premier, and that she is joined by very strong women in the House of Assembly represents some of the progress that is being made by women in Newfoundland and Labrador.

To borrow a line from Premier Dunderdale, “women are no longer content with knocking on the door for entry into the business community and leadership positions but are knocking the door down. Women are showing degrees of innovation and creativity that were unheard of years ago.”

The outstanding work of Leslie Galway of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission and Nora Duke of Fortis Properties led them to being named to Ernst and Young’s list of Canada’s Most Powerful Women. In Grand Falls-Windsor, Bernice Walker of Corona College is broadening her company’s focus to target opportunities in Northern Canada, the United States, and as far away as South Africa.

The success of women is not limited to political circles or the business community. The province is home to women who are leading unions and women such as Karen McGrath, Vickie Kaminski, and Susan Gilliam are leading regional health authorities. Many others have also assumed senior positions with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and with the Newfoundland and Labrador Correctional Centre for Women.

While we see progress, women still experience challenges entering and excelling in non-traditional occupations.

To minimize these challenges and open the doors to bigger and better opportunities for women, this administration is committed to investing in apprenticeship, science and technology programming, as well as training and infrastructure to support females in skilled trades training.

Just last week, I experienced the outcomes of one such investment when I participated in an appreciation dinner for those involved in the Women in Resource Development Corporation’s Techsploration program. Techsploration is an innovative initiative where women mentor Grade 9 to 12 students and encourage them to explore careers in trades and technology.

Through initiatives such as Techsploration, we are continuing to support the development of future female leaders and introduce them to the wealth of opportunities that exist for them in Newfoundland and Labrador.

2011 05 25             2:20 p.m.