Winnipeg —
Immigrant Women (2nd)
April 26, 2006
Employment Projects of Winnipeg

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Facilitators: Jennifer deGroot & Becky Thiessen
Participants: 14 women

Thanks to Employment Projects of Winnipeg for hosting this workshop with immigrant 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?

• Women want to be heard
• Childcare
• Teen Pregnancy/Birth Control
  • Medication
  • Dental costs not covered
• Disabilities
  • High cost for parents with children with disabilities
• Discrimination
  • Towards immigrant women
  • Job opportunities
  • Degrees/credentials not recognized
• Education
  • More training opportunities
  • More accessible post secondary education for single parents
• Immigration
  • Few connections upon arrival
  • Need more support and help
• Domestic Violence
• Housing

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?

• Childcare system
• Child tax benefits
• Health Care
  • Public health nurse in community ex) helped out when recently gave birth, nurse coming to home after operation
  • hospitals
• International Women’s Day at Legislature
  • Good learning opportunity
• Equal hiring policies
  • Women can do all jobs
  • Lack of discrimination especially in physical jobs
• Maternity leave
• Training programs
  • ESL classes
  • Employment Projects of Winnipeg
• Manitoba Housing
• Housing supplement — EIA
• Recreation
  • Swimming pools
  • Parks

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

• Health Baby should be available in more neighbourhoods (some women have to travel across city)
• Canadian Embassy
  • Information should available regarding programs and services that do exist in each of the provinces
  • Immigrants could use programs immediately upon arrival instead of searching for programs
• Child Discipline
  • Discipline expectations different in home countries. CFS should create a document that explains discipline expectations. When CFS hears a complaint they need to hear both sides.
• Recreation — sports/YMCA, more affordable access and locations
• Programs for women — more free
• Employment and Training
  • More on the job training, instead of schooling when immigrant already has credentials from home country. Hands-on training right away
  • Subsidize back to school training for immigrants who already have credentials
  • Employment mentor program
• ESL — better access to tapes/classes to listen to different accents and pronunciation
• Programs for teenagers to keep them busy and off the street
  • Financial training for students to prepare for work, single parenthood
• Stricter dress code for high school students
• More doctors
• Subsidize veterinarian
• Better advertisement of existing programs
  • TV, newspaper, churches, schools, banners, bus stops
• Grants/loans for immigrants to go to school
• Free bus pass for students
• Mentor programs between old and new immigrants, to help each other

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?

• Straightforward income tax program
  • File with partner or on own?
  • Should not have to file if you make below a certain income
• More information straight to parents from high school
  • Especially in grades 10-12
  • Parents want to know whether their child is skipping class, missing exams
  • “As a single parent, it is hard to cover everything”
• Support groups for women
  • To share childcare
  • To exchange help and support
• Pay parents to stay at home caring for kids and household
• Free bus pass/school transportation
• Camp/vacations for moms
• Some schools charge parents $30 a month for lunch supervision
  • Government should pay for this
  • Takes up money or time on women
• Employer to provide transportation / childcare
• Accessible childcare — 24/7, weekends
• Revise waiting rooms for emergency or non-emergency health care
• Better wages/benefits for part-time work
• Clean sidewalks in winter — it is very difficult and time consuming to push a stroller through the snow and slush
• Subsidize taxis

4. What ideas do you have on how the Government could earn more money? Are there programs that could be stopped? Use the creativity you have learned from your experience as a woman living with a tight budget.

• Government accountability
  • Waste of money to just give out medication
  • Too many pills, does health system work?
• No tax on food, clothes, education and transportation
• Review corporate tax exemptions
• Increase “sin” taxes
• Invest more in education and child care
• Impose fines for little things like littering
• Find companies to hire immigrants — decrease language barrier, learn to speak and understand faster
• More training in one’s own field
• Encourage more investment or training on how to invest
• Provide grants to start small businesses
  • Small businesses working together
• Educate about health prevention
• Educate on alternative medicines
• Government should spend more time on solutions not on problems