“women discuss budget priorities”

The Interlake Spectator

December 9, 2005 — page 28

Budgets are the most influential policy tool of governments, and that’s why women from the Interlake gathered for a recent daylong workshop on the provincial budget. The November 19 workshop introduced women to the workings of the Manitoba budget and gave participants the chance to influence it.

“Government budgets affect everyday realities for women, but women’s voices are not adequately factored into the budgeting process,” says Becky Thiessen of the UN Platform for Action Committee who travelled from Winnipeg to help facilitate the workshop. “Women need to understand how budgets work and provide creative and constructive input into the process.”

Women’s poverty rates across Manitoba remain alarmingly high. One out of five women live in poverty and certain groups of women such as immigrant women, women living with disabilities, Aboriginal women, and senior women experience poverty much more frequently and deeply. In the workforce women still earn on average 27% less than men.

Lack of affordable, quality housing leaves many families on the edge. Sheila Hillier of the Interlake Women’s Resource Centre, who hosted the workshop with the help of the Gimli Women’s Institute, told stories of women wanting to leave abusive relationships waiting up to two years on waiting lists before housing and childcare became available. With only three Manitoba Housing rental units in Gimli and one licensed childcare facility, long waiting lists are the norm.

Employment options are not plentiful for women in rural communities. Many women are balancing a number of part-time jobs leading to a poverty of time as they try to juggle their parenting, volunteering, and earning responsibilities. Some women are forced to travel long distances for work. Many jobs pay minimum wage which is inadequate to meet basic needs and others offer just seasonal work. Higher-paying jobs have low turnover and when positions come open hiring is frequently done from outside the community.

Healthcare is also a concern for women in the Interlake. There are not enough physicians and travelling to the city for medical appointments takes time and money. Women stressed an investment in preventative health care which includes looking at the health costs of poverty, lack of housing, and a polluted environment.

A provincial budget that favours tax cuts over investing in social programs benefits men most as women, largely because of their parenting responsibilities, are more dependant on programs such as low-income housing, childcare, and social assistance. Tax cuts on the other hand benefit men most as they are higher earners. A budget that reduces inequality makes life better for everyone.

“I came because I felt a great need to learn more about the budget,” said Judith Cameron, one of the workshop participants. “It added more fuel to what drives me to be a better community member. You can’t leave this workshop without a sense of what you can accomplish if you’re part of that process.”

At the close of the workshop participants wrote letters to MLA Peter Bjornson encouraging him to work to make gender analysis a part of the budget process and naming their specific concerns such as more access to affordable and quality housing, a raise in the minimum wage, and more employment and education opportunities.

The workshop was organized by the UN Platform for Action Committee Manitoba (UNPAC), a women’s organization committed to equality, development, and peace.

UNPAC Coordinator Jennifer deGroot said, “We are thrilled with the enthusiasm and expertise of women who came out to share their budget priorities. We will incorporate them into Manitoba’s Alternative Provincial Budget and share them with the Government of Manitoba. We feel that women are the real experts when it comes to knowing how budgets can work both more efficiently and can create more equality.”

UNPAC is holding workshops with women throughout the province.