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Minister’s Message

Photograph of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women

I am proud to present the Report on Plans and Priorities for 2011–2012 for Status of Women Canada.

Our government has laid a strong foundation for advancing the full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of our country. We take pride in our efforts, and we are committed to continuing this important work.

Partnership is essential as we effectively address the issues facing women. Status of Women Canada has, and will continue to focus on building partnerships within the federal family and beyond, with provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations and others. In this way, we can optimize on Status of Women Canada’s effectiveness in advancing equality for women and their full participation in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.

Our Government remains committed to creating conditions for success for women to play an active role in and to contribute toward the economic prosperity of our country, the social well being of its people and the democratic life of our society. For my part, I continue to engage with Canadians, highlighting the progress we have made in advancing the status of women and to bring to their attention the new and emerging challenges.

Status of Women Canada will continue to play a crucial role in supporting the Government agenda to advance equality for women. In 2011–2012, the agency, through the Women’s Program, will invest in three priority areas: ending violence against women and girls, improving women’s economic security and prosperity and promoting women’s leadership and decision-making roles. The agency will continue to reach out to women in rural and remote areas and in Aboriginal and immigrant communities.

A crucial part of our strategy is the effective application of gender-based analysis (GBA) across federal departments and agencies. Since the tabling of the GBA Action Plan in October 2009, Status of Women Canada has been working with departments to implement components of the Plan to ensure policies, programs and legislative initiatives address the needs and interests of women as well as men. This important work will continue over the coming year.

On December 6, 2010, Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, I issued a call to action to all Canadians to show leadership in the efforts to end violence against women and girls. In making this call, I said: Ending violence against women should be the shared responsibility of all of us: government, citizens, police, the justice system, media, non-profit groups, the private sector and community organizations.

We will, therefore, target and invest in initiatives designed to end violence in families, communities and in our society. We will also use new and existing partnerships to support horizontal initiatives that bring about lasting solutions to this problem. At the same time, I encourage Canadians to be part of the efforts to end violence against women and girls in our society and around the world.
 

Rona Ambrose, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Works and Government Services and
Minister for Status of Women



Section I – Agency Overview

1.1 Raison d’Être and Responsibilities

The Government of Canada established the Office of the Coordinator, Status of Women, in 1976 with the mandate to coordinate policy with respect to the status of women and to administer related programs (Order in Council 1976–779). Status of Women Canada (SWC) is thus the primary federal agency responsible for supporting the Government’s agenda to advance equality for women. In fulfilling its mandate, the agency works with a wide range of organizations, building synergies with key stakeholders, collaborating with different orders of government and engaging the private and voluntary sectors. SWC also helps fulfill Canada’s international obligations related to gender equality.

SWC functions in a complex environment where women’s issues permeate society. There is on-going demand for its intervention and the needs to be met are diverse and multiple. Given this context, the agency carries out its mandate strategically, working on partnerships, focussing its efforts where the need is greatest, ensuring its policy intervention and program investments are aligned with Government of Canada priorities and to bring about concrete results and enduring benefits for Canadians. As such, in 2011–2012, SWC will maintain its focus on three priority areas: improving women’s economic security and prosperity, ending violence against women and girls and promoting women’s leadership and decision-making roles. While focusing on key areas, these priorities allow SWC to address issues specific to diverse groups, such as Aboriginal and immigrant women, women with disabilities and urban and rural women and girls.

In its policy function, SWC plays the role of a knowledge broker, offering advice, building capacity for gender-based analysis (GBA), conducting policy analysis, providing input and making strategic interventions at both domestic and international levels. SWC works in collaboration with key stakeholders to facilitate the consideration of gender dimensions in the development of policies and programs.

SWC, through the Women’s Program, provides financial and professional assistance to Canadian organizations. By focusing on areas where the need is greatest, SWC invests resources where there is a clear potential for making a difference in the lives of Canadian women.

SWC’s regional offices are located in Montreal (serving Quebec and Nunavut), Moncton (serving New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and Edmonton (serving Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Yukon). The National and Ontario regional offices are located within the headquarters in the National Capital Region. (http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca)

 

1.2 Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture
 

SWC’s Program Activity Architecture chart

 

1.3 Planning Summary


Financial Resources ($ millions)
2011–2012 2012–2013 2013–2014
29.4 29.4 29.4


Human Resources (FTEs)1
2011–2012 2012–2013 2013–2014
94 94 94

 

Strategic Outcome: Equality for women and their full participation in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada
Performance indicators Targets
Representation of women in senior decision-making positions in the public and private sectors  
 
1%
increase
per year
Representation of women in the labour market, including access to support programs and services for entrepreneurship initiatives
Participation of women in political processes/systems at the local, provincial and federal levels
Program activity ($ millions) Alignment to Government of Canada outcomes
Forecast spending 2010–
20112
Planned spending
2011–
2012
2012–
2013
2013–
2014
Strategic policy analysis, planning and development 2.1 1.8 1.8 1.8 Government Affairs (a transparent, accountable and responsive federal government)
Women’s participation in Canadian society 25.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 Economic Affairs (income security and employment for Canadians)
Total planned spending 26.0 26.0 26.0  

Internal Services
Program activity ($ millions)
Forecast spending
2010–20112
Planned spending
2011–
2012
2012–
2013
2013–
2014
Internal services 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.4
Total planned spending 3.4 3.4 3.4

 

1.4 Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome


Operational Priorities
Priority Type Links to strategic outcome Description3
Strengthen the implementation and use of gender-based analysis (GBA) in the federal administration
(PA1.1)
Ongoing Equality
for women
and their full participation
in the
economic, social and democratic
life
of Canada
This is a priority to enable a growing number of organizations and actors to integrate GBA more systematically into their work and decision-making processes.
Plans to meet priority:
  • continue collaboration with central agencies and other federal organizations;offer advice and support (e.g. training);
  • share best practices;
  • monitor departmental progress in GBA application.
Domestic collaboration, engagement of FPT partners, strategic international interventions
(P.A.1.1)
Ongoing This is a priority to engage domestic stakeholders in addressing gender considerations in decision-making processes. Where appropriate, SWC will also engage internationally to advance domestic and foreign policy priorities.
Plans to meet priority:
  • continue work with federal partners to identify gender-equality gaps in policy and programming;
  • develop responsive, inclusive policies;promote collection of sex-disaggregated data;
  • develop inter-departmental partnerships, leverage federal investments, share information;
  • continue participation in FPT meetings, collaborate with provinces and territories.
Strategic interventions to address issues in priority areas:
  • improving women’s economic security and prosperity,
  • ending violence against women and girls, and
  • promoting women’s leadership and decision-making roles
    (P.A.1.2)
Ongoing This is a priority to support organizations to carry out projects that address issues pertaining to equality for women.
Plans to meet priority:
  • provide financial and professional assistance to organizations to support projects;
  • strengthen Women’s Program (WP) networks, work with federal and other partners on horizontal issues;
  • facilitate networking of groups that share a common goal;
  • extend the WP knowledge management and dissemination strategy.
Proceed with the renewal of the WP Terms and Conditions
(PA 1.2)
New This is a priority in preparation for the renewal of the WP in 2011–12
Plans to meet priority:
  • Finalize summative evaluation, prepare to implement recommendations from the evaluation;
  • conduct analyses to support program renewal

Management Priorities
Priority Type Links to strategic outcome Description
Streamline Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) processes to enhance quality and cut response time New   This is a priority to ensure that SWC meets its legislative requirements under the ATIP Acts.
Plans to meet priority:
  • in-house training, regular information, introduction of relevant systems.

 

1.5 Risk Analysis

Planning Context

Canada continues with its strong performance in advancing the status of women, ranking among the countries leading in gender equality. In its 2010 Global Gender Gap Index, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada 20th, up from 25th, for its overall performance in gender equality. Data obtained from Women in Canada: a gender-based statistical report (2010–2011), Statistics Canada, shows steady progress toward equality for women in Canada:

Economic security and prosperity
  • In 2009, women represented 47.9 percent of the total workforce, up from 45.8 percent in 1999.
     
  • The employment rate for women increased from 41.9 percent in 1976 to 58.3 percent in 2009.
     
  • Women accounted for 35.5 percent of all self-employed workers in 2009, up from 30.7 percent in 1991 and 26.3 percent in 1976.

While there is evidence of continued progress in advancing the status of women in Canada, sustained efforts are needed to close gaps in key areas, as highlighted below. As well, SWC recognizes the need to address the challenges unique to women from vulnerable groups. For example:

  • In 2008, the average total income for women 15 and over was 64 percent of the average earnings for men. The average hourly wage for women was 84 cents for every dollar earned by men.
     
  • In 2009, almost 27 percent of women, compared to almost 12 percent for men, occupied part-time jobs, which often pay less and offer less job security and benefits.
     
  • According to 2009 data, 67 percent of all employed women continued to be concentrated in traditional jobs, including teaching, nursing and related health occupations, clerical or other administrative positions, or sales and service occupations.
     
  • Within the female population in 2008, 5.7 percent were unemployed, while those with disabilities saw 8.5 percent. The unemployment rate for immigrant women was 7.4 percent.
     
Violence against women and girls
  • In 2007, women made up 83 percent of the victims of police-reported spousal violence.
     
  • While the extent of human trafficking within Canada remains unknown, as of February 2010, there were at least 32 cases before Canadian courts, involving 40 accused and 46 adult women and child victims.
     
  • Between 1997 and 2006, young women (aged 15–24) were killed at a rate nearly three times higher than for all female victims of spousal homicide.
     
  • The issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women remains a major concern as does the spousal homicide rate, which is more than eight times than for non-Aboriginal women.

Women’s leadership and decision-making roles
  • In December 2010, women held 22.1 percent of the seats in the House of Commons, 27.5 percent of federal Cabinet posts and 36 percent of the Senate seats, putting Canada 51st in women’s representation in Parliament, worldwide.
     
  • As of March 2010, 13.9 percent of mayors and 23 percent of councillors were women.
     
  • In 2009, among the Financial Post 500, women held 14 percent of board seats while 40 percent of these companies had no women directors.

Operating Environment

As highlighted above, SWC operates in a complex environment where gains in advancing equality for women are tempered by gender equality gaps in key areas. At the same time, as a small agency with limited resources, SWC continues to face internal challenges associated with a growing demand for its policy and program intervention, competing priorities, change management, human and financial resource pressures, governmental and central agency requirements. Given this context, SWC uses a risk-based approach to ensure the effective implementation of its plans and priorities, achievement of the expected results and continued progress toward its strategic outcome.

SWC has risk management tools to mitigate potential risks. Moreover, the agency will introduce its Corporate Risk Profile (CRP) in 2011–2012, moving toward an enterprise-wide risk management. This tool will provide a corporate-wide view of the strategic, operational, financial and legal risks to the agency. It will also serve as a tool to communicate, understand and manage SWC’s key risks.

 

1.6 Expenditure Profile

In 2011–2012, SWC plans to spend $29.4 million. Compared to forecast spending of $30.9 million in 2010–2011, this represents a decrease of $1.5 million due, in most part, to the end of re-profiled grant and contribution funding from 2008–2009.

Spending was at its highest in 2008–2009 due to re-profiled transfer payment funding from the previous fiscal year and the additional resources obtained through Budget 2007. As can be seen in the following chart, the slow decline in spending, in the following fiscal years, reflects the end of this re-profiled funding and the end of a five-year transfer payment program in 2009–2010.

Actual spending from 2007–2008 to 2009–2010 includes all Parliamentary appropriations: Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates and transfers from Treasury Board such as carry forward adjustments.

For the period 2011–2012 to 2013–2014, total spending corresponds to planned spending. At this point, supplementary funding remains unknown. In 2011–2012, SWC will continue to respect the cost containment measures announced in Budget 2010 and will follow the Treasury Board guidelines, including the Directive on the Management of Expenditures on Travel, Hospitality and Conferences.


Departmental Spending Trend

This line graph shows the trend in actual spending, forecast spending and planned spending, in millions of dollars, for fiscal years 2007 08 to 2013 14.

Estimates by Vote

Estimates by Vote are presented in the 2011–2012 Main Estimates which are available at:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20112012/me-bdp/info/info-eng.asp.