Winnipeg Workshops
Facilitators: Jennifer deGroot & Becky Thiessen
Participants: 9 women
“I learned how the budget was divided up;
it was different than what we all assumed”
– Workshop Participant
Special thanks to MGEU and CUPE for their contribution to the costs of interpreters and intervenors at this workshop.
The following ideas were generated by workshop participants as part of our gender budget consultations. Please note that this list does not represent the official position of the UN Platform for Action Committee Manitoba (UNPAC). Neither UNPAC nor all of the participants have endorsed these suggestions.
1. What are key concerns for women in your community?
- Independent living
- Need for more affordable housing
- Should be a government-funded assistive devices program
- Rent allowance should be increased so that people are allowed to have more than one bedroom (currently not allowed)
- Need more housing options
- Budget for Family Services and Housing should be bigger than budget for Health
- Reduce rent for Deaf Centre Manitoba
- A healthy home would mean less sick people so less spending in Health
- Many people live in unsafe neighbourhoods (i.e. no lights) because that is all they can afford
- Less on war more on people
- Education is key spending area — must think about the next generation so people can better advocate for themselves
- Question: Why so much money towards youth if families have decreased in size?
- Public transportation is a priority
- Get more women with disabilities in paid employment (then they can pay taxes)
- Justice/Safety concerns — women with disabilities afraid to go out alone
2. a) What Government programs and services have really worked to meet women’s needs and concerns? How could they be expanded upon or made better?
- TTY rebates
- Family Services and Housing — Disability Office
- RCMDB — Resource Centre Manitoba Deaf and Blind
- Social Assistance
- Assistive devices program
- CNIB Braille support devices
- ASL Interpreters/Intervenors — need for Health Care i.e. Doctor appointment
- Need more support for DRC
- Home care
- Tired of repetitive menu
- Weekly for deaf/blind
- Would like to go shopping every 2/3 days instead of once a month
- Want Home Care to cook everyday instead of just providing frozen food
“The workshop made me want to learn more about the budget —
not only in general, but for also for women”
– Workshop Participant
2. b) What ideas do you have for programs and services that could meet women’s needs?
- Assistance — live in with deaf/blind women
- More activities/tours/travel opportunities for deaf senior women
- Recreation/socialization — Where can I go bowling/shopping?
- Want good education and training for employment for deaf/blind women
- Special materials, alternative format for school/education
- Health or Family Services should pay for intervenors/ interpreters,
- adaptive devices
- Braille displays
- Braille TTY
- Need more available highly trained intervenors and interpreters — not enough funding
- Handi Transit is not always reliable
- Cannot communicate with drivers
- Training and Job opportunities
- New employment opportunities
- Education = better jobs = government gets more taxes = better economy
- Assistive animals — more seeing/hearing dogs
- More programs on dealing with disability assistance
- Teach independent living
- Places to learn about community services
