For Immediate Release: Provincial Parties Respond to PANSOW’s 2019 Election Questionnaire

In the run-up to the provincial election on May 16, 2019, the Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) collaboratively designed a questionnaire for the four party leaders to address concerns that are relevant to women and their families.

The questions focused on nine issues including women’s leadership, violence against women and girls, childcare, and pay equity.

“It is vital that voters understand the party stances on the issues,” said Paula Sheppard Thibeau, Co-Chair, Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women and Executive Director, Corner Brook Status of Women Council. “The election’s quick turnaround time has not allowed everyone to become familiar with the candidates and the issues. We hope that in gathering these party responses we are able to help voters feel informed on issues of relevance to them.”

To view the party responses, open the PDFs below.

Women in Government
Poverty
Economic Equality
Violence
Healthcare
Childcare
Funding
Women in Prison

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Media Contacts
Paula Sheppard Thibeau
Co-Chair, Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women
Executive Director, Corner Brook Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.639.8522
cbwomenscentre@gmail.com

Janice Kennedy
Executive Director, Bay St. George Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.643.4444
executivedirector.bsgswc@gmail.com

About PANSOW
PANSOW applies a provincial lens to issues of equality and ensure a public voice for women from a non-partisan, grassroots, and feminist perspective. PANSOW consists of the Executive Directors of all eight Status of Women councils in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW’s mandate is two-fold: To educate and build awareness on broad issues related to gender equity and justice in the province; and to advocate for change in government policy and legislation that facilitates gender equity and justice.

SJSWC Issuing Report Cards on Provincial Government’s Action on Women’s Rights

St. John’s, NL – The St. John’s Status of Women Council (SJSWC) has issued its first in a series of report cards that address the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s action on gender equality and justice in the province.

The organization has produced an interim report card on the Minister’s Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls based on the progress report released by the Department of Justice and Public Safety last week. This and subsequent report cards are intended to raise public awareness about the province’s progress in addressing gender inequality.

Nine key areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government have been identified by the SJSWC for tracking and reporting purposes:

●   Women and Justice;
●   Women and Childcare;
●   Women’s Economic Equality;
●   Women’s Health;
●   Women and Education;
●   Violence Against Women;
●   Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls;
●   Women and Leadership; and,
●   Support for Women’s Organizations.

Jenny Wright, Executive Director, St. John’s Status of Women Council:
“Currently the status of women in Newfoundland and Labrador is alarming, as we experience the highest wage gap in the country, above the national average levels of domestic violence, costly and inadequate childcare, considerable barriers to accessing healthcare and an over representation in precarious and minimum wage jobs. We applaud the government for its support of women’s leadership. However, progress is much too slow and requires better collaboration with women’s groups throughout the province.”

All levels of governments have a role to play in addressing inequality in meaningful ways. This initiative will hold NL governments accountable and work towards advancing the quality of life for women and their children.

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Media Contact
Jenny Wright
Executive Director
St. John’s Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.753.0220
jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca

About St. John’s Status of Women Council/Women’s Centre
The St. John’s Status of Women Council/Women’s Centre is a feminist organization that since 1972 is continually working to achieve equality and justice through political activism, community collaboration and the creation of a safe and inclusive space for all women in the St. John’s area. The St. John’s Status of Women Council operates the Women’s Centre, Marguerite’s Place Supportive Housing Program and the Safe Harbour Outreach Project.

For Immediate Release: PANSOW calls for action by the Department of Education on sexual violence

October 5, 2018

For immediate release

RE: PANSOW calls for action by the Department of Education on sexual violence

Last year, allegations of sexual assault by a student resulted in legislative changes to the Schools Act, 1997, which came into effect on September 1, 2018. It provides the Director of Education with the authority to refuse to admit a student on school property where it is his/her opinion that the presence of the student is detrimental to the physical or mental well-being of students or staff. It was announced that polices were forthcoming based on these changes and to address sexual violence in our schools. However, in recent weeks, allegations of sexual assault at another school have come forward and highlighted the lack of movement on these promises.

The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women believes that a holistic and trauma informed approach is needed that addresses the need for safety during transportation to and from school, during school, and while involved in extracurricular school activities.  This requires changes in policy and practice that address the physical and psychological safety needs of students and staff.  Trauma can impact an individual’s ability to acquire new knowledge and to retrieve stored information, thereby impacting the ability to learn. Creating safety is paramount in helping individuals regain a sense of control and concentrate.

Measures that address safety on buses may include the use of bus monitors, paid or volunteer, to assist with the supervision of students or cameras.  School buses can accommodate up to 72 passengers; far too many for a single driver to monitor while also having to tend to the duties of driving and following the rules of the road.  Cameras may provide legal evidence of the behaviours and actions that are occurring that are not observable by the driver.

During the school day, it is important to provide supports in terms of guidance and psychological services for those impacted by trauma and its impacts on daily activities.  In addition, accommodations, short or long term, may be required to help students remain in school and complete their curriculum.  This will be best determined by consulting with the student, their family and any professional supports they are using to assist with their recovery.

Policy and procedures for extracurricular activities should be reviewed and updated and ensure that they provide adequate supervision for all students.  The procedures for reporting incidents need to be clear and reflect the serious nature of the trauma a student may experience.

To create systemic change in how we identify and intervene when violence occurs can only happen with changes to the curriculum. Curriculum changes that focus on healthy relationships, boundary setting and consent can create a safe and more inclusive learning environment and help us ensure students lead vibrant and healthy lives. Professional development training in trauma informed practice is also necessary for all employees to ensure early detection and response, and to create supportive environments for all involved with teaching and shaping the minds of our children and youth.

PANSOW is available for consultation in creating these necessary changes as we have experience in providing both front line support to individuals impacted by sexual violence and in policy development.  Changes are needed now and we cannot wait for more students and families to be left in limbo.

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Media Contacts
Paula Sheppard Thibeau
Executive Director
Corner Brook Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.639.8522
cbwomenscentre@gmail.com

Janice Kennedy

Executive Director

Bay St. George Status of Women Council

Tel. 709-643-4444

executivedirector.bsgswc@gmail.com

 

About PANSOW
The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) is a grassroots, feminist, and non-partisan network which gives a provincial voice on the issues facing the Status of Women in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW consists of all eight Status of Women Councils in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women supports the call for a Provincial Task Force on Gender-Based Violence

 

For Immediate Release
October 4, 2018

There has been a significant rise in the rates of domestic and sexual violence in Newfoundland and Labrador. In advance of the In Her Name vigil for missing and murdered women and girls of NL, the St. John’s Status of Women Council and St. John’s Native Friendship Centre are calling once again for the establishment of a provincial task force on gender-based violence. The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) is fully supporting this call to action.

We wish to see the establishment of a task force that is well-resourced, which includes a budget, staffing, strong terms of reference, and ministerial level accountability. If we are to see tangible change in the levels of violence women and girls experience daily we must have the political will to drive significant changes in legislation, policy, and funding.

We are aware of the Minister’s Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls in Newfoundland and Labrador struck last year and support that community collaboration. The committee can be a significant and vital part of the work of the task force. However, a St. John’s-centric committee alone is simply not the right mechanism to deal with the magnitude of the issues of violence against women and girls in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Paula Sheppard Thibeau, PANSOW Co-chair and Executive Director, Corner Brook Status of Women Council:

“Only through a collaborative approach that includes stakeholders from various sectors and areas of the province can we reduce violence in our families and communities. The work of a gender-based violence task force must focus on strengthening efforts for early identification and intervention, and providing individuals affected with the necessary supports to gain economic, psychological, and physical well-being.”

Raelene Vickers, Executive Director, Mokami Status of Women Council:

“Violence against women and girls in Labrador is a massive concern that needs to be addressed through a province-wide task force on gender-based violence. Labrador communities have some of the highest rates of domestic violence across the country, and too many women are at risk. The cultural needs of Indigenous communities in Labrador must be included in a provincial plan to end gender-based violence. Women and girls in Labrador need to know that their safety and lives matter to the province.”

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Media Contacts

Paula Sheppard Thibeau
PANSOW Co-chair
Executive Director
Corner Brook Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.639.8522
cbwomenscentre@gmail.com 

Jenny Wright
Executive Director
St. John’s Status of Women Council
Tel: 709.753.0220
jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca

PANSOW applies a provincial lens to issues of equality and ensure a public voice for women from a non-partisan, grassroots, and feminist perspective. PANSOW consists of the Executive Directors of all eight councils in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW’s mandate is two-fold: To educate and build awareness on broad issues related to gender equity and justice in the province; and to advocate for change in government policy and legislation that facilitates gender equity and justice.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE @ WORK NL SURVEY: CLOSING IN ON THE COST

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW…IS HURTING US

What we do know is that Newfoundland and Labrador has among the highest levels of Domestic Violence (DV) in Canada.  What we don’t know is the impact of that violence on workplaces in our province.

To understand more, the St. John’s Status of Women Council has partnered with the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women and Children at the University of Western Ontario to launch a critically important survey on the impact of DV on workers and workplaces in Newfoundland and Labrador.

To ensure that our provincial economy can prosper, safe workplaces are essential. Domestic Violence costs the Canadian economy a staggering $7.4 billion annually. The good news is that Canadian and international research has shown that positive change can happen when the right types of policies, training and other supports are put in place.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Domestic Violence in our communities and workplaces is both a social and economic challenge for all of us. In just 30 minutes, by completing this survey, you can contribute to creating workplace practices that help support victims of DV and their co-workers.

WHO CAN TAKE THE SURVEY?

The survey is anonymous, and participation is voluntary. All workers in Newfoundland and Labrador over the age of 15 are invited to fill it out.

We are working hard to ensure participation from all regions of Newfoundland and Labrador, all genders, Indigenous people, and people with different perspectives and experiences. Your voice is important, whether or not you have personally experienced or witnessed violence.

In appreciation of your time spent completing the survey, you have the option to enter to win one of three $250 prepaid VISA cards.

HOW CAN YOU GET STARTED?

  1. Fill out the survey at: https://sjwomenscentre.ca/dvatworknl/
  2. Talk to your co-workers, friends and family and encourage them to take part. Share the link on social media and invite everyone in your workplace to take the survey.

CANADA WIDE STATS:

  • A Justice Canada study estimated that businesses lose approximately $78 million annually due to DV, but the real costs are much higher.
  • Approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner. Indigenous women are killed at six times the rate of non-Indigenous women.
  • In any given night in Canada, 3,491 women and their 2,724 children sleep in shelters because it isn’t safe at home.

 POWER IN NUMBERS

The nationwide survey launched by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the University of Western Ontario in 2014 provided solid data to help us understand national DV trends. This information illustrated that DV is a systemic barrier to women’s economic security. This has severe implications for our province’s labour force and presents a tremendous cost to our economy.

The CLC’s initiative was inspired by ground breaking surveys used to gather data in Australia. The Australian findings identified the prevalence and impact of DV on the workplace and resulted in vital new legislation. It mandated domestic/family violence workplace benefits, including dedicated paid leave and flexible work arrangements.

A growing number of provinces in Canada are implementing DV Leave legislation and policies to make workplaces safer. New Brunswick has most recently implemented DV Leave.

RESULTS FROM THE CLC’s PAN-CANADIAN SURVEY (2014):

  • Over 80 per cent of survivors reported that DV negatively affected their working lives.
  • Over half (53.5%) of those reporting DV experiences indicated that at least one type of abusive act occurred at or near the workplace. Of these, the most common were abusive phone calls or text messages (40.6%) and stalking or harassment near the workplace.
  • 53 per cent of survivors felt their job performance was negatively impacted.
  • 75 per cent had difficulty concentrating on their work.
  • 19 per cent reported causing or nearly causing workplace accidents due to their violent relationship.
  • 40 per cent of those who reported experiencing Domestic Violence, said DV made it difficult for them to get to work.

 

  

 

NOTES:

  • Stanford, Jim (2016), “Economic Aspects of Pail Domestic Leave Provisions,” Briefing Paper – Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute.
  • Fonseca, Peter (2009), “Bill 168, Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace and Other Maters),” Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
  • Lewin, Brent (2012), “Justice Canada study says spousal abuse costs country at least 7.4 billion a year,” National Post.
  • Martin-Misener, R., & Valaitis, R. (2009). “A scoping literature review of collaboration between primary care and public health,” McMaster University
  • Mojtehedzadeh, Sara (2014), “Domestic violence follows victims to work, survey finds,” Toronto Star.
  • Wathen, C.N., MacGregor, J.C.D., MacQuarrie, B.J. with the Canadian Labour Congress. (2014). Can Work be Safe, When Home Isn’t? Initial Findings of a Pan-Canadian Survey on Domestic Violence  and the Workplace. London, ON: Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women and Children.
  • The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (2016), “ The Employment Standards Code Injury or Illness and Extension of Compassionate Care Leave.)”
  • Statistics Canada (2017), “Labour Force Characteristics Newfoundland and Labrador,” Labour Force Survey

 

  

 

PANSOW calls for changes to justice system following the death of two women at the NL Correctional Centre for Women

The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) stands in solidarity with families of incarcerated women. We join them in calling on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to initiate long overdue changes within our provincial justice system.

The 2008 report, Decades of Darkness: Moving Towards the Light – A review of the prison systems in Newfoundland and Labrador noted that many of those who are housed in our provincial prisons are there for crimes stemming from poverty, addictions, and mental health issues. Yet adequate and appropriate programming and services, especially gender-specific programming, to address these needs are not present within our correctional institutions. Prisons are not equipped to deal with these issues and the living conditions in these institutions often lead to deterioration of mental health. We are at a critical moment following the deaths of two women at the NL Correctional Centre for Women, change through community collaboration is paramount.

Samantha Piercey, who died in prison last month, died on remand. Charged, but not convicted of a crime. Unfortunately, our province has some of the highest rates of remand in the country. Whenever possible, individuals on remand should remain in the community with supports.

There is an immediate and critical need for supports, staffing and resources, gender-specific health care, an alleviation of overcrowding, and incidents of lock down. We are supportive of the independent review initiated by Minister Parsons however we ask for civilian oversight of this process and the involvement of incarcerated women and their families.

Media Contacts
Paula Sheppard Thibeau
Executive Director
Corner Brook Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.639.8522
cbwomenscentre@gmail.com

Jenny Wright
Executive Director
St. John’s Status of Women Council
PANSOW, Co-Chair
Tel: 709.753.0220
jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca

About PANSOW
The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) is a grassroots, feminist, and non-partisan network which gives a provincial voice on the issues facing the Status of Women in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW consists of all eight Status of Women Councils in Newfoundland and Labrador.

PANSOW seeks clarification regarding mandatory counselling for Mifegymiso

The following letter was sent to the Hon. Dr. John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services via email at the end of May 2018. PANSOW requested clarification on his comments regarding the need for women to receive counselling before being prescribed the abortion pill, Mifegymiso. To date, no response has been received from his office. We urge you to join us in contacting the Minister of Health and Community Services to ensure that Mifegymiso is readily available to all women throughout the province through clinics and their family doctor without the need for mandatory counselling. 

Dear Minister John Haggie,

The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) is seeking clarification on your statement in regards to counselling for the abortion pill, Mifegymiso. Are you suggesting that women receive mental health counselling before being prescribed the medication or just a discussion with their doctor about potential side-effects of the medication?

PANSOW represents the eight Status of Women Councils of this province and we are pro-choice organizations that support people’s right to choose. We want to see Mifegymiso covered by MCP and that every family doctor or nurse practitioner can prescribe it to their patients.

It is important that women from any area of the province, particularly rural and remote areas, have access to this much needed and time sensitive service. Requiring women to access counselling before they can be prescribed the medication is a barrier with already lengthy wait times for counselling throughout the province or simply unavailable in some parts of the province.

We look forward to your response.

Thank you,

Janice Kennedy, Co-Chair of PANSOW

Media Contact
Jenny Wright
Executive Director
St. John’s Status of Women Council
PANSOW, Co-Chair
Tel: 709.753.0220
jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca

About PANSOW
The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) is a grassroots, feminist, and non-partisan network which gives a provincial voice on the issues facing the Status of Women in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW consists of all eight Status of Women Councils in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Doing Politics Differently: Drawing on Inuit Tradition and Winning Elections in Hopedale, Labrador

Rachel Saunders, newly elected Ordinary Member of the Nunatsiavut Assembly representing Hopedale, talks about her motivation, process, and winning strategy.

Rachel Saunders is making waves along the North Coast of Labrador for doing politics differently. We (Maggie Burton and Caitlin Urquhart) spent some time in May traveling the Coast and working with Nunatsiavut Status of Women Coordinator, Tracy Ann Evans Rice, to facilitate collaborative workshops on leadership development for Inuit women in the communities of Rigolet, Makkovik, Postville, Hopedale and Nain.

Everywhere we went, we heard about Rachel Saunders and her recent winning campaign in Hopedale, which had sparked the interest of just about everyone we talked to. On May 27, we had the opportunity to interview the newly-elected Ordinary Member for Hopedale, Nunatsiavut. Saunders won in a landslide with over 60% of the vote on May 1st, her opponents received 30% and 10% of the vote respectively.

Rachel ran an innovative campaign for Ordinary Member. She went door-to-door day in and day out, but rather than drop off a pamphlet, she came to listen to residents. Saunders recorded people’s concerns in her notebook and posted them on Facebook. This is not typical of an election in the small Northern community where candidates rarely canvas, let alone spend hours in peoples homes. Our workshop participants had heard that Saunders wrote down all the concerns she heard in a book after going house to house; they heard that she was doing things differently and it worked because she got the votes and won.

After our interview we left feeling inspired and empowered to continue to work for the greater good of our own community. Thank you, Rachel for stepping up to serve the people of Hopedale and Nunatsiavut. We hope your example inspires other women to run. (The nomination period for the AngajukKak positions is expected to open late this Summer for the September elections!)

(l-r): Maggie Burton, Rachel Saunders, and Caitlin Urquhart.

Maggie Burton: What is your role in the Nunatsiavut Assembly?

Rachel Saunders: Ordinary Member and Minister of Education and Economic Development.

MB: Why did you run?

RS: I ran because I want changes. I have a passion for helping people and the Nunatsiavut Government is able to help in a real way in the community. I’ve worked in the Mental Health and Addictions field for 13 years. I’ve received so much help in my life growing up that this is my way of giving back. It’s in my nature to advocate for people, especially for those who don’t have a voice, when even though they have a lot to say they can’t say anything. There has been a lack of communication between the government and the public—a lot of people don’t know what the Assembly is all about. I’d like to improve communication there.

MB: How was your campaign different than previous campaigns on the North Coast?

RS: I had advice for an Elder advisor about running a more traditional Inuit campaign. My campaign focused on listening to people. The way it was done before was so impersonal—go to a home, drop a pamphlet and leave. They thought that by giving someone a piece of paper and promising this and that they would support you. But you have to show them that you’re serious about the job, that you do want to help and advocate. By giving them the opportunity to talk, it could have been from 15 minutes to 2 hours. I did 9 visits a day—3 in the morning, 3 in the afternoon and 3 in the evening. I got to visit most of the homes in the town. I was upfront with everyone and didn’t have a personal agenda, I would let them know that I was there to hear what they wanted to change if I was elected. I didn’t make any promises except that I would do my best and always get back to people with a response after they bring a concern forward.

The first house I campaigned at the woman said to me: why do we always have to fight for things? Why? Why is it always just “good enough”? I said, no truer words have been spoken. It should be a given that things are good. We shouldn’t be fighting to get things done. We’re fighting for money. For land. For human rights. We’re fighting for everything. You can’t thrive when you’re fighting for what you have. We’re really lucky to have self-governance but we’re still fighting for what we already have instead of what we need.

I didn’t have any campaign team members, I did everything myself. But I had a lot of emotional support from family who helped make it possible to keep campaigning.

I did a lot of selfies to end visits on a positive note, and got the community engaged on social media. Now that I’m elected I want people to come into the assembly building to talk to me there over tea and coffee to make more social opportunities for discussions about important issues.

I have written down all the concerns people brought up during house to house visits and I plan to keep listening for more.

MB: Why do you think it’s important for women to be in Nunatsiavut’s Assembly?

RS: Inuit women are providers for their families. We know what needs to be done, financially and otherwise. Women are responsible for getting things done in the community. Women here are nurturing, have patience, have generations of experience with child-rearing. We are great at multitasking. I think a mother’s perspective is valuable, too, and often left out. I want to represent their perspective now that I’m elected.

MB: What could politicians around the province, around the world learn from you? Why should the world pay attention to Inuit governance?

RS: The Inuit are a humble people. Growing up Inuit is a hard way of life. We’ve had to learn how to adapt and be resilient, have had to learn just to live. There’s so many struggles, traumas that Inuit people have lived through and experienced in the last hundreds of years. I believe we are equipped to deal with whatever is thrown at us because of those resiliencies. For me, governance is about the people. The government wouldn’t be a government without the people. To me, that’s important and I think focusing my work within the government on the community will be successful because we have been focusing on so many outside things that the people have been forgotten.

Elected officials are here because of the people and we can’t lose sight of that once elected. I am going to have to remind myself about that, about why I’m here. People think that Inuit are not a very vocal people, but we know that the most important thing is to listen. To listen with your heart, not only with your ears. Anyone could listen with their ears. We may not say a lot but when we do, it is meaningful. I think we can bring a unique perspective to policy conversations. We really stop and think— what are the pros and cons. How will it benefit the people? Too many rash decisions are being made around the world. With policy, you have to slow down, and really think about things.

When you do things formally you don’t get as much done as when you do things informally. Decision-making is done by having conversations, like in the old days.

MB: What was the highlight of your campaign?

RS: Going door to door and connecting with people.

MB: What perspective do you bring to the table?

RS: The concerns that the people brought forward during canvassing. I’m not here for me, for my agenda. A platform should be based on doing what the people would like to see improved upon or even worked on at all. In their eyes it hasn’t always been done, or they haven’t been heard.

MB: How do you make decisions?

RS: I start from considering the most vulnerable people first. You know who they are. Nobody goes to see them but they are my people, I grew up like that. My main reason for running is that vulnerable people are left out. Nobody hears from them, nobody makes them a priority. For me they need to be made a priority, they’re people too. Those who don’t have their basic needs met are stuck, they’re going to stay the same because nobody is helping them. Our people deal with multiple traumas on a daily basis and it’s so hard to deal with it and break the cycle. I know where they’re coming from, I know what they’re going through. It takes a lot for people to say I need help, because they’re going to have to live through it again. We don’t have the necessary help here, DHSD does an awesome job but we still have generations of trauma to sort through and it’s ongoing.

MB: What’s the biggest issue facing Hopedale right now?

RS: Lack of land for housing development. The area of Hopedale is all rock—we have exhausted our areas of where can build homes. Developers have tried to build on bog land but the foundations are not stable, the walls and windows are cracking. The only available option is to blast through the rock walls. Hidden homelessness is a huge problem here. Our housing issue goes back to 1959 with the relocation of people from Hebron. My grandfather had to take materials from the American Base to build a makeshift shack for housing when they were relocated here in 1959. My grandparents raised me. We’re still in the housing crisis today 60 years later. Something has got to be done.

MB: What does hidden homelessness look like in Hopedale?

RS: It ties into overcrowding. We often have up to 3 full families living in a 3-4 bedroom home. Parents have grown children, those children have children. Several generations of the same family live together. This is hidden homelessness—there is nowhere for young, single men to go, for example. They have no choice but to stay in parents homes, or even strangers’ homes. They stay on couches or if they’re lucky enough to have their own room somewhere—a person can only take in someone for so long and then they have to move on. We did a needs assessment in 2014 and there are about 50 people experiencing invisible homelessness in the region.

MB: What are some pieces of advice you would give to someone running a campaign on the North Coast?

RS: Seek advice from an Elder advisor, a mentor. Mine is Sarah Ponniuk. Because we are Inuit, and Nunatsiavut government is for Inuit people, a lot of traditional customs and practices have been forgotten. I wanted to go back to a previous time and start my campaign from a traditional Inuit way. Before we had the NG, we had Elder council and an AngajukKak who travelled the coast and talked to the people, and governed through consensus building. People want to know who they’re electing. Relationship building is the basis of everything you do. Building relationships with the community is key to running a successful campaign and getting those votes.

There are more women running now which is great, in the past it was mostly men around the table. We now need the younger generation to step up and take a lead role in politics. I would encourage people to go out and get an education, to take youth out to see the world and make more opportunities so that they are not as homesick when they go out for school.

Tracy Ann Evans-Rice is the Status of Women Coordinator with the Nunatsiavut Government and lives in Makkovik, Labrador. Charlotte Wolfrey, a colleague in Rigolet, saw a need for more women in politics and successfully pitched a project that would see facilitators work with women in community to develop their skills and encourage their participation in the political sphere. Evans-Rice loved the idea and ran with the project. They called on Maggie Burton and Caitlin Urquhart to facilitate.

Maggie Burton is a St. John’s City Councillor and professional leadership and management coach. She leveraged her experience working with high level executives and as a successful first-time politician in 2017 to help women identify their strengths, build confidence and develop skills plans. Caitlin Urquhart is a St. John’s lawyer, board member of the St. John’s Status of Women Council, and managed Burton’s campaign in 2017. She brought practical advice and drew on participants experiences to identify and plan how to run a winning campaign as a candidate or campaign team volunteer.

Together Burton and Urquhart hope to continue to work with Inuit women, youth and other persons from underrepresented communities to increase the diversity of perspectives around decision-making tables throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

For Immediate Release: PANSOW statement on MHA attendance at celebration of Eddie Joyce

Everyone loves a celebration. However, the Provincial Action Network of the Status of Women (PANSOW) must question the timing of the recent celebration of MHA Eddie Joyce’s 25 years of public service in politics. Mr. Joyce is currently under investigation by the Commissioner for Legislative Standards amid allegations of harassment and bullying. Mr. Joyce, while still the MHA for Humber-Bay of Islands, has been placed on an indefinite leave of absence from the House of Assembly as the investigation continues.

We are concerned for the message that this sends to the public, especially considering the anti-harassment training all MHAs recently completed. Harassment is a form of violence which violates respectful workplace policies. It is imperative that leaders recognize the damaging effects that workplace violence can have on their employees. This celebration and the attendance by four Liberal MHAs sends the message to the women who came forward that they do not matter. It does not present an image of respect for the process currently taking place within the House regarding this issue.

We call on the MHAs, Gerry Byrne, John Finn, Scott Reid, and Jerry Dean to acknowledge this and to undertake further training to better understand the impacts of violence in the workplace.

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Media Contacts

Janice Kennedy
Executive Director
Bay St. George Status of Women Council
PANSOW, Co-Chair
Tel: 709.643.4444
executivedirector.bsgswc@gmail.com

Jenny Wright
Executive Director
St. John’s Status of Women Council
PANSOW, Co-Chair
Tel: 709.753.0220
jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca

About PANSOW
The Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) is a grassroots, feminist, and non-partisan network which gives a provincial voice on the issues facing the Status of Women in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW consists of all eight Status of Women Councils in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Statement in response to NLCCW’s women’s letter

We are in awe of the strength of women in the Newfoundland and Labrador Correctional Centre for Women (NLCCW) in Clarenville, who have written a letter addressing their grief and distress following the recent death of two women they were incarcerated with. As advocates for women across our province, we know the importance of amplifying the voices of women when they speak about their own experiences of injustice, and we recognize the powerful act of speaking out in the wake of these tragedies.

As women in NLCCW have said:

“So with these things happening and inmates being neglected at the wrong times, how can any of us feel safe?”

The St. John’s Status of Women Council and all our programs (St. John’s Women’s Centre, Marguerite’s Place supportive housing program, and the Safe Harbour Outreach Project) echo and validate the concerns that women have identified. Like these women, we have come to see the impacts on women who need mental health services, holistic health care, housing, culturally appropriate Indigenous supports, counselling, and support for the violence they have experienced yet receive time behind bars. We believe our province has the ability to act now to address chronically overcrowded and under-resourced prisons and must act now to divert women in our criminal justice system to essential services and supports that they need and are identifying.

In recognizing the disconnect between the inmates’ feelings of safety, and the response from our institutions, we call for immediate action, transparency, and accountability from the departments and institutions who are responsible for incarcerated people in our province and any action to be done in consultation with front line community advocates for prisoners. Once again, we call on the provincial Department of Justice and Public Safety for an immediate assessment of the needs of people in our prisons with public oversight.

We continue to hold the families and friends of Skye Martin and Samantha Piercey in our thoughts.