Flin Flon,
November 16, 2006

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Flin Flon Workshop #1
(October 24, 2005)

Facilitators: Jennifer deGroot, Becky Thiessen & Janis Dahl
Participants: 5 women

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?

• Housing
  • senior housing — project still on hold
  • for low-income families
• Health
  • only 1 obstetrician
  • cost of travelling to Winnipeg for appointments with specialist, cancer, treatment
  • what if you want a companion
  • not enough doctors — 3 months waiting list
  • long wait for test results
• Transportation
  • for seniors
  • buses only run until 7 p.m.
• Childcare
  • not enough spaces/places
  • not enough certified childcare staff — low wage not an incentive
  • if already working in childcare and have own kids, no energy left for evening courses to upgrade to ECE
• High cost for upgrading education
• Inadequate pensions — even if they are from “the company”
• Empowerment
  • young women not inspired, do not have a future vision
  • need to honour the feminine
  • lack of self-respect — contributes to violence against women
• Employment
  • low-wage/part-time jobs for women — especially young women working 2-3 jobs
  • forced to be casual employee, even if you work full time — no benefits
  • different amount on pay cheque every month — hard to budget

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?

• Women’s Resource Centre
  • group & individual counselling
• Friendship Centre
• CODI training — “one stop shop” for women’s needs
• Faith communities that provide social support and programs
• Policies and Legislation can also restrict programs/new programs that have limited resources

2. b) What ideas do you have for programs and services that could meet women’s needs?

• More mentors for our youth
• More educational services
• Women’s leadership programs
• More mental health & AFM (Addictions Foundation of Manitoba) workers
  • too many unanswered calls leaves people discouraged, no one left in office — all out in community
  • not enough workers
  • lack of human connection

3. Women often do not have enough money to do the things they need to do and they often do not have enough time to do the things they need to do either. Where are you crunched for time? What could the government do to give you more time to do the things you need to do?

• More programs for kids when parents are working
• Childcare
• Public transportation
• 4-day work week
• Higher wages

4. What ideas do you have on how the Government could earn more money? Examples include: raising existing taxes, introducing new taxes, or stopping programs that don’t work. Use the creativity you have learned from your experience as a woman living with a tight budget.

• Micro-credit loans
• Tele-education opportunities for rural and remote communities
• Accessibility to education so people would be employable

TAKE ACTION!

• Spread the word
• Share the workshop
• Media
  • Use as a tool
  • Press conference
  • Free of charge
  • More accessible in a small town — take advantage of this
• Start a Women’s Institute
• Vision for the future — make women feel like they count
• Write/meet your MLA
  • Come with facts
  • Plan ideas for activism
  • Timeline for follow-up
  • Ask for support to access Winnipeg connections