INTRODUCTION

1. Canada ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on December 10, 1981, and submitted its initial report in June 1983, its second report in January 1988, its third report in September 1992 and its fourth report in September 1995. This is the fifth report submitted by Canada under the Convention. The main period covered is from March 31, 1994 to March 31, 1998 (with occasional references to developments of special interest that have occurred since.)
   
   
2. Canada is a federal state of 10 provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec and Saskatchewan), and three territories (the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut, this last territory having come into existence on April 1, 1999). While the ratification of international treaties is the prerogative of the Government of Canada, their implementation requires the active participation of the governments with jurisdiction over the subject matters covered. Under Canada’s constitutional division of powers, jurisdiction over some areas affecting women’s lives falls jointly to federal and provincial/territorial governments. In other cases, aspects fall solely under provincial/territorial jurisdiction, such as the provision of social services. Strictly federal responsibility includes such areas as criminal law. Therefore, efforts to advance women’s equality require a commitment and partnerships among all levels of government.
   
   
3. Information about Canada’s political and legal structure is presented in the Core Document Forming Part of the Reports of States Parties: Canada, submitted by Canada to the United Nations in 1997, which forms part of Canada’s periodic reports under international human rights treaties (to the United Nations).
   
   
4. Additional information regarding the situation of women in Canada can be found in Canada’s response to the UN Questionnaire on Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.
   
   
5. This fifth periodic report is composed of four parts. Part I contains an introductory overview of the situation of women in Canada. Part II contains a review of measures relevant to CEDAW adopted by the federal government. Part III contains a review of measures adopted by the provincial governments, as prepared by these governments. Part IV contains a review of measures adopted by the territorial governments, as prepared by these governments. The report follows, as much as possible, the guidelines issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. The concluding comments adopted by the Committee have also been taken into consideration, as has paragraph 323 of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action which invites state parties to include information on measures taken to implement the Platform for Action in their reports to the Committee.