“As women we do have strengths and we have
to speak up
because our concerns are different.”
– Workshop Participant
because our concerns are different.”
– Workshop Participant
The Pas,
November 17, 2006
The Pas Workshop #1
(October 22, 2005)
Facilitators: Jennifer deGroot, Becky Thiessen & Janis Dahl
Participants: 19 women (& one male reporter)
« Read the following article on this workshop, that appeared in the Opasquia Times, page 6, November 22, 2006.
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
- Safe, secure & affordable
- Senior women
– More elderly women who need good housing
– More women in poverty than — living on old age pension
- Public Transportation
- Health
- lack of doctors and nurses
- must go to Winnipeg for care
- Justice system
- Childcare
- expensive
- few spaces/places
- limits work and educational opportunities for parents
- seniors looking after children
- Affordable recreation
- Low wages
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?
- Aurora House
- Health Transportation — should have a coordinator to oversee all aspects (tests etc.) of (non-emergency) medical travel from North
- Rosaire House
- Subsidized housing
- More money needed in program
- Need decent housing
- Could be expanded
- Childcare
- St. Paul’s
- More staff needed
- Nurses could be more attentive to patient care
- Friendship Centre
- Homeless Shelter
- Library
- Breakfast program in school
- The Golden Agers — join them: you will never have a free day!
“I never paid so much attention to the budget.
Now I want to.”
– Workshop Participant
– Workshop Participant
2. b) What ideas do you have for programs and services that could meet women’s needs?
- Programs to teach men to be more equipped to care for their families
- Safe and affordable housing
- Daycare — need more, affordable
- Women need a safe place to go if abused
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 childcare spaces that are affordable
- Higher wages
- Childcare for shift workers
- Assist and help upgrade education for parents so that they can be more self-sufficient
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.
- Charge more for energy & water provided to other countries
- Stop programs that don’t work
- Cut down on government transportation
- Increase corporate taxes
- Tax the banks
TAKE ACTION!
- Talk with MLA
- Phone (put them on your speed dial)
- Meet
– be prepared
– tell stories of own experience
– come with solutions
– ask for follow-up
- Media
- Talk to Mayor
- Talk amongst ourselves