Manitoba

Introduction

570. This report will update, to March 1994, the information contained in Manitoba's submission to Canada's Third Report on the Convention.

Article 2: Measures to eliminate discrimination against women

571. The Manitoba Human Rights Commission administers and enforces The Human Rights Code, 1987. The Code specifically protects against discrimination on the basis of ancestry, nationality or national origin, ethnic background or origin, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), gender-determined characteristics, sexual orientation, marital or family status, source of income, political belief, and physical or mental disability.

572. Discrimination on the basis of sex was the most frequently cited ground of complaints filed in the years 1991 through 1993. It comprised 30 percent of all formal complaints filed in 1991, 31 percent in 1992, and 34 percent of those filed in 1993. In 1993, 58 percent (29 cases) of sex discrimination complaints were allegations of sexual harassment. Except for one, the complainants were all women.

573. In 1993, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission published and distributed a new brochure on sexual harassment. It explains the rights of individuals and the responsibilities of employers and others. The Commission responds to numerous requests from business and service organizations for seminars on sexual harassment, and assists with the development and implementation of workplace sexual harassment policies.

574. In December 1989, the Manitoba Civil Service adopted a policy on sexual harassment. It has since implemented corresponding training. The staff of the Employee Assistance Program also provide counselling and support to employees affected by incidents of sexual harassment.

575. The Manitoba Legislature enacted The Homesteads Act and amendments to The Marital Property Act in 1992. This legislation was proclaimed in force in 1993. It implemented the concept of deferred property sharing upon the death of one spouse. It repealed The Dower Act, and replaced the "fixed share" scheme previously in place under that legislation. (The Dower Act had permitted partial avoidance of property sharing by means of payment of a lump sum or an annuity, or a combination of the two, to the surviving spouse.)

576. These enactments primarily benefited women, who constitute the majority of surviving spouses. They continued the process of reform that began with the enactment of other statues, such as The Intestate Succession Act in 1989. This Act also benefited women by implementing the "all to spouse" rule in cases of the death of a spouse without a will. Under this rule, the surviving spouse takes the entire estate, unless there are children of a previous marriage of the deceased spouse.

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Article 3: Measures to ensure the advancement of women

577. The Manitoba Department of Justice was active in lobbying the Government of Canada to incorporate anti-stalking amendments to the Criminal Code. The Manitoba Legislature also amended The Family Maintenance Act in 1993 to provide a mechanism for easy attainment of non-molestation orders.

578. The Family Violence Court has been successful in responding to domestic violence. Since its establishment in 1990, independent evaluations have confirmed that it is functioning well and responding effectively to situations of women caught in the cycle of violence in a partnership setting.

579. The Department of Justice commissioned the Domestic Violence Review into the Administration of Justice in Manitoba (the Pedlar Report), which was completed in August of 1991. This report has been useful in addressing domestic violence issues in Manitoba.

580. The Manitoba Department of Education and Training has addressed recommendations contained in the Pedlar Report. These include developing and distributing a document entitled Violence Prevention in Daily Life and Relationships to all grade five to eight schools in the province in 1993; promoting ongoing use of a curriculum support document entitled Violence Against Women: Learning Activities to Prevent Violence Against Women (1991) for the high school level; adding a resource document entitled Toward Healthy Relationships to the Manitoba Text Book Bureau Catalogue (developed by the Brandon Y.W.C.A. and a women's shelter, with the support of the Department of Education and Training); assisting schools in implementing traditional Aboriginal healing circles and consensus building strategies to address violence and conflict amongst students; and co-sponsoring with the Business and Professional Women's Club of Winnipeg, a workshop for educators on conducting women's safety audits (May 1994).

581. The Department of Education and Training has adopted some additional initiatives aimed at the elimination of violence in the elementary and secondary levels of schools. It has provided funding support to school divisions to provide violence prevention intervention programs. It has used mandatory curricula in health to provide a vehicle for teaching kindergarten to senior level-two students about domestic violence. Within the health curricula, there is also discussion about self-respect and respect for others, the responsibility to self and others, and exploration of the facts and misconceptions about alcohol and other drugs. In the responsible sexual behaviour unit, there is attention to personal safety assertiveness.

582. Family life units for grades five, seven and nine feature positive family relationships and responsibilities, and individual personal safety. A lesson at the senior level one deals with the prevention of sexual assault in the context of "date rape". Although family life units are optional, most school divisions in Manitoba offer them. From 1989 to 1994, the Department of Education and Training has conducted more than 80 regional workshops to train over 3,000 teachers of family life units.

583. The Department of Education and Training has developed a response unit of psychologists and social workers to provide support and assistance to schools and school divisions where an incidence of violence or death has occurred.

584. In 1993, the Department of Education and Training established a Violence Prevention Team to co-ordinate the department's violence prevention and intervention strategies and activities for the kindergarten to senior level four sector. The team is responsible for developing an integrated model for violence prevention and intervention. Planned elements of the strategy include establishing a collaborative network of community agencies, police services and government ministries, and providing supportive resource materials and staff development training to key school personnel.

585. As of 1991, family violence services included 29 community-based agencies throughout Manitoba. Services in Winnipeg (the largest urban centre in the province) included second-stage housing, and long-term counselling for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal victims of abuse, their children, and abusers.

586. Other family violence services include women's resource centres and long-term counselling for incest victims who have had addiction problems. Services throughout the province include crisis accommodation, counselling, public education, and crisis telephone lines. It is estimated that 2,700 women sought shelter in the 1992-93 fiscal year.

587. As of 1994, there are 10 crisis shelters for victims of wife abuse situated in nine communities throughout Manitoba. These operate under the Federal-Provincial Public Non-Profit Special Purpose Housing Program. The Department of Housing of Manitoba has assumed all housing-related management functions for these shelters as of April 1993. Minimum building standards for crisis shelters have been developed and are applied in the development of new shelters.

588. In 1993, the Manitoba Department of Housing developed a priority placement policy for victims of domestic violence. This policy departs from the usual tenant selection procedure for available public housing units, and provides first access to persons whose safety is in jeopardy from an abusive partner and who may not be able to afford private rental accommodations. This special priority status is available to any abused person regardless of family size, marital status, or current living arrangement.

589. The 1991 census of Canada indicates that 82.6 percent (30,880) of single-parent families in Manitoba were led by women. As of January 1993, single-parents who move from provincial social assistance to employment may continue to receive coverage for their basic dental, optical and pharmaceutical expenses for up to one year. This benefit is intended to assist these recipients in the transition from social assistance to work.

590. The social assistance regulations were also amended to exempt some additional financial resources from consideration in the calculation of social assistance benefits for the family. In June 1991, the first $25,000 of assets held in trust for a child from compensation for a personal injury, the loss of a parent, or an inheritance from a parent, was exempted. In January 1993, the federal Child Tax Benefit (including the new Earned Income Supplement) was exempted. In addition, the exemption on liquid assets was significantly increased in March 1992 (for example, from $1200 to $2500 for a single parent with two children).

591. The Department of Housing has a number of policies recognizing the need to support women who are tenants in public housing and active in the workforce, including those that are heads of households. These include a number of deductions from income when calculating rental rates for housing, such as the first $1000 of earnings for a spouse who is employed, automatically applying the $1000 deduction to income where the head of the household is a single-parent (primarily mother-led families) and deducting family allowance payments made to mothers.

592. The "head of household" policy of the Social Allowances Program was changed in September 1992 to allow couples applying for assistance to have their eligibility based on either adult. Eligibility for the family is no longer automatically based on the circumstances of the adult male. This change allows a couple with a female disabled spouse to access the higher benefits provided to disabled applicants.

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593. The Executive Development Program for Women in the Civil Service aims to increase the number of women in senior management, which in March 1993 was 22.83 percent of the Manitoba Government senior management job category. This program is available to approximately 450 women.

594. As of September 1993, women comprised 49.32 percent of the Civil Service workforce. During the fiscal year 1992-93, 63 percent of new appointments and of appointments from bulletined competitions were filled by women. In that same time period, 63.8 percent of promotions within the Civil Service went to women. Women also comprised 21.32 percent of applicants to competitions for male-dominated classifications, and were successful in 37.5 percent of these competitions.

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Article 5: Sex-role stereotyping and family education

595. The Manitoba Women's Directorate, in collaboration with the Women's Health Branch of the Manitoba Department of Health, produced a poster series entitled "Girls Can, Boys Can", aimed at eliminating gender stereotyping at a young age. Posters were distributed to primary schools across the province. The Women's Directorate is a member of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group on Education and Training. The Working Group commissioned a paper on gender socialization that was released at the 1993 meeting of Status of Women ministers.

596. The Department of Education and Training has expanded the home economics program at the senior level to include infant development centres. These provide adolescent parents with information on parenting and survival skills. Also, the Family Studies Programs for senior two to senior four levels examine human development, child development, family relationships, and parenting and gender roles.

597. The Department of Education and Training has developed support materials that present strong female role models and counter negative stereotypes about Aboriginal women. These support materials include In Search of Beatrice Culleton and Native Women and Their Careers.

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Article 6: Prostitution

598. Manitoba was instrumental in having the law relating to prostitution in Canada clarified by virtue of its appeal to the Supreme Court of R. v. Butler (1992) 1 S.C.R. 452.

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Article 7: Women in politics and public life

599. Of Manitoba's 80 full-time judges, 10 are women. The Chief Judge of the Provincial Court is a woman.

600. Women hold 12 of the 57 seats in the Manitoba Legislature. Of 17 cabinet minister positions, three are held by women. There is one female deputy-minister of a total of 23.

601. Women hold three of the 15 Winnipeg City councillor positions. The Mayor of Winnipeg is a woman.

602. Two of the three community college presidents in Manitoba are women.

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Article 10: Education

603. The Manitoba Human Rights Commission distributed its guidebook entitled Human Rights in the School: Guidelines for Educators, Students, Parents and other School Participants to every school and school superintendent in the province in 1992-93. Commission staff have been actively promoting its use. One subsection of the guidebook addresses the issue of gender equality.

604. The Human Rights Commission's publication Inventory of Human Rights Teaching Materials was distributed to every school in Manitoba in 1990. Included is a listing of resources on the topic of discrimination based on sex.

605. In April 1994, the Department of Education and Training distributed a directory of innovative programs and resources aimed at improving the condition of girls in maths and sciences. This directory, Expanding Choices, was provided to all school divisions. (It was produced by the Nova Scotia Women's Directorate.)

606. The Department of Education and Training has initiated the development of a source book for teachers about fair portrayal of persons of visible minorities. It also focuses on the fair portrayal of women of visible minorities in gender equity situations. Development is expected to be completed in September 1994.

607. All textbook and support materials from kindergarten to senior four level are screened on an ongoing basis through materials selection procedures that are based on the three-stage Canadian Exchange of Instructional Materials Analysis model. Non-sexist language is one of the many criteria used in the process. Other criteria include: age, race, ethnicity, religion, handicap, socio-economic status, political beliefs and tolerance.

608. Curriculum assessment and examination committees screen kindergarten to senior four level items and questions on an ongoing basis for racial and sexual bias.

609. Forty-two percent of community college day enrolments in the 1992-93 school year were women. In 1991-92, women comprised 57 percent of full-time program career enrolments in Manitoba community colleges, primarily because of high enrolment in health and social service programs.

610. In January 1990, a sexual harassment policy was implemented to address sexual harassment involving post-secondary students. Gender-inclusive guidelines are also currently being piloted within Red River Community College to ensure that all community college publications, learning materials, and evaluation procedures and materials are free from sexist language and sex-stereotyping. Where learning materials that include sexist language are valued for their specific course content or portrayals but cannot be replaced, attention is focused on the bias, to create a new gender-inclusive awareness in the classroom.

611. The Student Financial Assistance Program of Manitoba administers the Study Assistance for Social Allowance Recipients Program. This program provides student loans to cover educational costs to single-parents in receipt of social assistance who wish to pursue post-secondary education as they continue to receive social assistance. More than 80 percent of single-parents in Manitoba are women.

612. Manitoba provides funds for community-based, learner-centered adult literacy programs. The programs operate on a part-time basis in the day and evening, and provide transportation and day care where necessary to allow adults to attend classes. This makes it possible for women with work and family responsibilities to attend programs. In 1993-94, 608 women participated in the 32 community-based programs, representing 56 percent of total participants.

613. The Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship delivers Community Based Language Training that provides learner-centered English as a second language training in a supportive community environment for women who are at home caring for their children, and for seniors (mostly women). It also provides a Workplace Language Training Program that offers opportunities for employed women who are without other avenues for English as a second language competency to learn the language requirements of their workplace, thereby reducing their dependency and vulnerability.

614. Since January 1991, the University of Winnipeg has implemented several programs or policies which have reduced or eliminated forms of discrimination against women. These include: a Maternity and Adoption Leave Policy (1991) which supplements unemployment insurance, maternity and adoption leave benefits; Sexual Harassment Policy (1991) and the establishment of the sexual harassment officer position; Staff Development Program for Support Staff (1992) which provides for leave of absence with pay for staff to improve their qualification and obtain additional training; a Tuition Waiver and Tuition Reimbursement Policy (1991) which has been used by many women to complete undergraduate degree programs on a part-time basis while working full time; and Training and Development Policy for Support Staff (1991), a comprehensive training policy and funding incentive program which encour-ages training and development opportunities for employees and has mainly benefited women.

615. Changes to the collective agreement between the University of Winnipeg and its employee groups have benefited women. These include changes to the seniority provisions which now allow seniority to accrue during maternity and adoption leave (1991); changes to the parental leave provisions to allow for 17 weeks of parental leave following maternity leave (1991); participation by management and the union in work experience programs designed to introduce or reintroduce women into the workforce (1991); compassionate or emergency leave that grants time off as a right to employees needing same to look after family members (1992); and job sharing arrangements that have opened up opportunities for mothers of young children (1992).

616. Brandon University has implemented "Positive Action to Improve the Status of Women" in its collective agreement with its faculty association.

617. The Collège Universitaire de Saint-Boniface created the position of Special Student Services Co-ordinator in 1991. Actions undertaken by the co-ordinator have included orientation sessions for women at the beginning of each academic year, a series of ten workshops for women students on the topic of self-esteem (1993-94), and a women's committee established in conjunction with the faculty association to provide support to women students and staff, and to promote women's rights and equalities.

618. The President of the University of Manitoba has established a Women's Secretariat. The Secretariat has produced a booklet entitled U. of M. Women's Guide to University Resources. The University of Manitoba approved a statement on discrimination policy in December 1991.

619. The University of Manitoba implemented pay equity, with adjustments to salaries of female support staff taking place between 1988 and 1991 inclusive. On the recommendation of a joint committee of management and faculty association, salary adjustments to female academic staff salaries were implemented in 1991.

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Article 11: Employment

620. The Department of Family Services budget for child day care has increased in the fiscal years ending in 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 by 3 percent, 2 percent, 6 percent, and 1.5 percent respectively. Child day care enhancements over that same time included salary enhancement and maintenance grant increases; subsidized daily fee increases; an increase of 3,250 in the number of subsidized children; expansion of the income level eligibility for partial subsidies; an additional 1,865 licensed spaces; the establishment of the Working Group on Francophone Day Care; an increase to the budget for the Children with Disabilities Program; and provision of a guaranteed fee payment to private day care centres. In the 1992-93 fiscal year, there were 742 provincially-funded child care centres and homes, with a total of 13,923 child care spaces. There were an additional 5,192 spaces in non-profit and private centres, a portion of which were partially funded.

621. In response to an external audit of Manitoba's civil service classification system recruitment and selection practises, the government has implemented a number of recommendations to improve equitable access to government employment opportunities. For example, research was conducted and training provided regarding barrier-free job bulletins.

622. The Apprenticeship Branch has appointed a woman representing Manitoba Women in Trades and Technology to the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Board. All field officers of the Apprenticeship Branch are responsible for the promotion of women in trades and technology. Three of its 12 officers are women. The Branch has also established special recognition awards to be given annually to the first woman graduate in each trade.

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Article 12: Health care

623. The Department of Health has designated women's health as a priority area for policy and program development. Two key principles of its health care reform are informed choice and the delivery of health care services as close to home as possible.

624. The Antenatal Home Care Program, which initially cared for women with pregnancy induced hypertension, was expanded in 1991 to include care for women with additional high-risk conditions. This home care program results in less disruption to family life, and provides an opportunity for high-risk pregnant women to participate in their own health care to a greater extent than is possible in hospital.

625. The Department of Health participated in the development of the federal-provincial- territorial report Working Together for Women's Health (April 1990) and its subsequent distribution.

626. Postpartum Guidelines were developed in 1992 to provide a framework for the provision of care for women and families in the transition from hospital to home following childbirth.

627. Grant funding is provided to community agencies for cross-cultural reproductive health education to immigrant women and their families.

628. The Department of Health has been involved in the establishment of a community-based organization to educate women about AIDS.

629. The Department of Health co-ordinates the "Nobody's Perfect" education program for parents of children from birth to age five. Since 1991, the Department of Health has been responsible for facilitator training. The program targets young, single, low-income, socially or geographically isolated parents or parents with limited formal education, and provides accurate information on their children's health, safety, development and behaviour.

630. Funding has been provided for a three-year Integrated Service Delivery Demonstration Project directed to female street prostitutes. Project goals include identifying and reducing health-related problems for young women and girls who prostitute, or who are at risk of prostitution.

631. Other initiatives of the Department of Health include the development of a fact sheet on osteoporosis, conversion to audio-tape of its resources on menopause and perinatal loss, and the provision of funding for a resource, in comic-book format, for at-risk teens, on birth control, sexually-transmitted diseases and single-parenting.

632. Treatment services for women with addictions has been expanded to include gambling addictions. These treatments include both residential and non-residential options.

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Article 13: Economic and social life

633. The Manitoba Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism has a Business Development Consultant available to provide informational, counselling and training services through the Women's Entrepreneurial Initiative. A new plan-of-action was developed in 1993, and is being implemented. Its objective is to foster the success of women in developing and expanding businesses. Its initiative integrates entrepreneurial education and training, access to start-up and expansion capital, and expert advice for support.

634. The Manitoba Sports Directorate provides funding to a number of organizations involved in promoting women's activity and sport. These include the Canadian Women's Volleyball Team, which is currently based in Winnipeg, and the Manitoba Sports Federation. The latter has struck a committee to review issues relevant to women in sport.

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Article 14: Women in rural areas

635. The Women's Directorate has outreach staff in Portage la Prairie and Thompson. Outreach staff act as a source of information, referral and support services to women's groups and individual women throughout the province.

636. A toll-free women's information line has been established to provide women from any part of Manitoba with easily accessible information on government and community programs and services

637. The Women's Directorate, in partnership with the Manitoba Women's Institute, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Family Services, has established a pilot project for a rural child care registry. The objective of the registry is to provide access to flexible and affordable child care for rural Manitobans, particularly farm families. Pilot projects began in the fall of 1992 and are fully operational in nine communities throughout Manitoba. The project is currently under evaluation by the Human Ecology Department at the University of Manitoba.

638. Through Manitoba's Business Start Program, qualified entrepreneurs can receive a loan guarantee of up to $10,000 through participating financial institutions, to help in the start-up of a business. Approximately 60 percent of the loan funds are targeted at businesses started by women and rural entrepreneurs.

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Article 16: Women and the family

639. The Manitoba Human Rights Commission proceeded with its appeal to the Manitoba Court of Appeal in the case of Vogel and North v. Government of Manitoba. The decision is expected in the spring of 1995. This case involves the issue of whether denying spousal benefits to same-sex partners under the Government of Manitoba's spousal benefit plan is discrimination based on sexual orientation, marital and family status, and sex. The outcome of this case will affect women in same-sex spousal relationships and their families. (Earlier decisions of the adjudicator (1991) and the Court of Queens Bench (1992) held that this was not discriminatory).

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