Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its report on Bill 75, Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Great Slave, that Committee report 7219(2), Standing Committee on Social Development report on Bill 75: Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act, be deemed read and printed in Hansard in its entirety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member for Kam Lake, we'll need a different seconder.
read it all over again? Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its report on Bill 75, Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Committee report 7219(2), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 75: Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act, be deemed read and printed in Hansard in its entirety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. The committee report is deemed read.
Carried
Bill 75: Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act (Bill 75) received second reading on March 9, 2023 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development (Committee) for review. Bill 75 repeals and replaces the Status of Women Act (Act). In 2018, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) initiated a review of the Act to modernize language, provide clarity, meaning and strengthen the Act overall.
Based on the results of the review, the GNWT proposes legislative amendments to the Act that allows the Status of Women Council to continue as the Council for Women and Gender Diversity; clarify roles and responsibilities of the Minister, Council for Women and Gender Diversity, and the Gender Equity Division; modernize language; promote inclusivity; clarify the composition and member term limits; re-define legislative objects and powers; and include a purpose statement of the Act.
Committee Members were keen to review Bill 75, and upon review, are concerned that the legislative amendments to advance gender equity and achieve gender equality amongst women and girls, and 2SLGBTQIPA+ in the Northwest Territories (NWT) are not achieved. Committee Members, the Status of Women Council, and Northern Mosaic Network shared that barriers to gender equality go beyond gender, and include other parts of a person’s identity, like the expression of gender; sexuality; ethnicity; age; disability; political status; employment status; and/or geographic location (living in a small community versus a regional centre or Yellowknife).
Committee sought public feedback on Bill 75 with a public notice and targeted engagement letters. Committee received a written submission from Northern Mosaic Network. The written submission is included in an Appendix to this report.
Committee held a public review of Bill 75 on June 28, 2023. At that meeting, Committee heard remarks from the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Council (Minister), and asked questions to the Minister regarding the lack of definitions for key terms like, “gender equity” and “gender equality,”; the lack of a preamble; the lack of reference to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; the lack of reference to other entities in the NWT that are working to advance gender equality; lack of core funding mechanisms for those entities; appointment of council members; and diversity of Board Member of representation.
Committee also heard from the Status of Women Council including Board Members Rita Arey, Board President, Beaufort-Delta Region; Shelley Browne, Board Member, North Slave Region; Dora Minoza, Board Member, South Slave Region; Delphine Pierrot, Vice President, Sahtu Region; Anna Pontikis McLeod, Board Member, Deh Cho Region; and Sophie Lubet, Executive Director. Status of Women Council Board Members and Executive Director highlighted the need for collaboration with other entities working to advance gender equality; concerns about the lack of definitions of key terms; the need for a preamble; concerns that the stated purpose falls short on addressing critical issues; and desire to retain the name of the original Act.
Committee is of the view that Bill 75’s legislative amendments do not go far enough to meet the needs of stakeholders to support gender equity and achieve gender equality for women, girls and 2SLGBTQIPA+ in the NWT.
Committee is unequivocally committed to gender equity and gender equality for women, girls and 2SLGBTIPA+ among all persons regardless of their expression of gender; sexuality; ethnicity; age; disability; political status; employment status; and/or geographic location. Committee believes that taking an intersectional approach and acknowledging the ways that different aspects of a person’s identity can overlap and create compounding experiences of discrimination is imperative to breaking down barriers to gender equity and gender equality. In addition, these unique experiences must be understood in an NWT context.
Robust engagement with Indigenous governments, non-governmental organizations and NWT residents are required to inform the development of inclusive and meaningful legislative amendments for future. Trauma-informed and culturally safe engagement facilitation is key as many women, girls and 2SLGBTQIPA+ have faced discrimination. Accordingly, future legislative amendments should be written in plain language through trauma-informed and cultural safe lenses. Committee heard clearly that legislation must be accessible and easily understood. Committee believes that this approach will foster sincere collaboration and relationship development Indigenous governments, nongovernmental organizations and NWT residents.
Finally, the NWT is unique in its population, geography and social landscapes. Future legislative amendments must be made with in-depth knowledge of the mandate, goals, and capacity of territorial non-governmental organization partners. The GNWT must work in collaboration with important partners, such as the Status of Women Council and Northern Mosaic Network, to honour differences and at the same time advance gender equity.
On September 21, 2023, Committee Held A Clause-by-clause Review2. Based On Stakeholder Concerns, Committee Passed A Motion To Report Bill 75 To The Legislative Assembly As Not Ready For Consideration In Committee Of The Whole. This Concludes Standing Committee’s Review Of Bill 75: Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act
Reports of standing and special committees. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Committee Report 7219(2), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 75: Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. The committee report has been received and adopted by the Assembly.
Carried
