Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, the annual meeting of Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, from July 7th to 9th, 1999.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Honourable Hedy Fry, Secretary of State (Status of Women) and the Honourable Patricia Mella, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women for Prince Edward Island. It gave Ministers an opportunity to address a number of issues that continue to work against women achieving full social and economic equality.
Women's economic security continues to be an important issue for Ministers across Canada. In reviewing the report of the House of Commons Finance Sub-Committee on Tax Equity for Canadian Families with Dependent Children, we agreed on the importance of ensuring that all public policy, in particular, tax policy, reflects and supports economic equality for women.
Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women reaffirmed their commitments to eliminating violence against women with the adoption of "Preventing Violence Against Women, A Strategic Framework". The framework was developed to guide policy and program development in the area of violence prevention. It is based on a common vision and shared goals and follows the Iqaluit Declaration released by Ministers in December, 1998. The framework describes strategies and initiatives that work across Canada, and the important work at the community level to eliminate violence against women as well as the many consequences of violence. Ministers also agreed to pursue a collaborative approach to address criminal harassment, more commonly known as "stalking".
We agreed to follow up on issues of concern to older women and aging. Some of the major challenges facing the well-being of older women today include low income, care giving responsibilities and health issues. This being the International Year of Older Persons, we discussed the diverse needs of older women and agreed to work collaboratively with Ministers Responsible for Seniors to address these challenges.
This was my first Federal/Provincial/Territorial meeting as Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. I will continue to work with my Cabinet colleagues and the Status of Woman Council of the NWT, the Native Women's Association, as well as representatives of other women's organizations in the NWT to do what we can to improve the lives of northern women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause