Newfoundland

Introduction

  1. This Report is the submission for the province of Newfoundland, covering the period from April 1, 1994 to March 31, 1998.

Article 2: Anti-Discrimination Measures

  1. The Human Rights Code continues as the legislation providing recourse for alleged discrimination and sexual harassment in the province of Newfoundland. Approximately 40 percent of the total complaints received by the Human Rights Commission during this time period were related to some form of sexual discrimination or harassment.

  2. The Human Rights Code was amended in 1997 to add sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination.

  3. The Human Rights Code allows the Commission to approve special programs designed to eliminate disadvantages suffered by women.

Article 2 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 3: Measures to Ensure the Advancement of Women

  1. Newfoundland's Department of Education has developed a curriculum module called "Balancing Students' Rights and Responsibilities." The guiding principles of the program centre around the basic human rights and responsibilities of all individuals. Modules have been developed for each level of schooling (primary, elementary, intermediate and senior high) containing staff development activities and activities to be implemented in various curriculums.

  2. Guidance counsellors provide services in schools including counselling, guiding, consulting, assessing, providing information services and researching. They also educate, counsel and refer students (as required) on matters such as sexual exploitation and abuse, dating violence, neglect, drug abuse, discrimination, decision making, entering non-traditional occupations and post-secondary education choices.

  3. The departments of Education and Human Resources and Employment and the Newfoundland Teachers' Association have produced brochures for distribution throughout the province dealing with "Child Sexual Abuse Information for Families" and "Child Abuse Information for Families."

  4. In 1996, the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act were amended to allow for the release of information regarding the criminal history of an individual which, in the opinion of the minister, is in the public interest to disclose.

Article 3 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 4: Temporary Special Measures

  1. The Government of Newfoundland provided funding to a number of programs to benefit women including: Women Interested in Successful Employment; Women in Resource Development; Women in Construction Technology; funding for a Single Parents' Association; and funding for the establishment of a number of Women's Centers across the province.

Article 4 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 5: Elimination of Stereotypes

  1. The Department of Education offers a number of courses in the school curriculum which address human development and family living. These courses have been reviewed, and any elements of gender bias have been removed.

  2. A financial management resource, Money Smarts, has been included in the Healthy Living course for Level I senior high students.

  3. The Department of Education devotes a quarter of the time of a Student Support Services consultant to work with the Provincial Strategy Against Violence.

  4. The Child Care Module in the Intermediate Level Home Economics Program teaches students about child behaviour, development and care.

  5. The Child Youth and Family Services Act was passed in 1998 and will be proclaimed in 1999. In dealing with situations of domestic violence, s. 21(4) of the Act will now allow the court to order the removal of an offender from the child's residence. Currently, it is often the case that mothers and children who are the victims of violence are the ones who must leave the family home and move to safety.

Article 5 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 6: Trafficking of Women and Prostitution

  1. The new Child Youth and Family Services Act also allows a social worker to seek approval from a judge to prohibit contact between a child or youth and a person believed to be a risk to the child or youth.

Article 6 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 7: Women in Politics and Public Life

  1. Special measures have been taken to include gender equity as a principle in the development of regional economic development boards in Newfoundland. While members of these boards are elected or appointed at the regional level, the government has indicated that it supports a gender balance and has encouraged the boards to make special efforts to increase the participation of women at all levels within their organizations. Towards Gender Equity in Regional Economic Development: A Handbook for Regional Economic Development Boards was published by the Women's Policy Office and the Department of Development & Rural Renewal in 1996.

Article 7 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 10: Education

  1. Newfoundland's Department of Education has initiated numerous measures designed to eliminate discrimination against women and to ensure equal rights with men in the field of education. These measures include the following:
  1. In the province of Newfoundland, the female high school completion rate and post-secondary education participation rate is higher than that of males. While participation rates in all fields have increased, women still tend to be under-represented among those training for occupations in the sciences, engineering, technology and trades.

  2. The Department of Health and Community Services provides services to adolescent mothers before and after they give birth and identify and implement individual support service plans for these students.

  3. Approximately 50 percent of all employment program placements sponsored by the Department of Human Resources and Employment were filled by women.

Article 10 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 11: Employment

  1. In 1991, the Government concluded pay equity studies for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and the Health Care Sector I ("Support" classifications). To date, all but one affected female-dominated classes have received their final pay equity adjustment. The last class will receive the final adjustment on March 20, 2000. All pay equity adjustments will be incorporated into the appropriate pay scales in 2001.

  2. In the case of the other groupings within the health care sector, affected female-dominated classes in the Allied Health Professional group and the Laboratory and X-ray group have received their final adjustments. These adjustments will be incorporated into the appropriate pay scales in 1999. Affected female-dominated classes in the Nursing Sector received adjustments in the amount of 1 percent of payroll for four years starting May 4, 1995, with the remainder paid out in installments of 2 percent of payroll on an annual basis with the final adjustment due in 2001. It is anticipated that the pay equity adjustments will be incorporated into the appropriate pay scales in 2002.

  3. For the General Government Sector, pay equity adjustments were paid out in installments of 2 percent of total payroll effective October 1996 and April 1998. It is anticipated that the pay equity adjustments will be incorporated into the appropriate pay scales in 1999. In the case of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and Workers Compensation Commission, pay equity adjustments were paid to affected female-dominated classes effective October 1996.

  4. Pursuant to the Labour Standards Act, upon returning to work from adoption, maternity or parental leave, an employee must be placed in the same or similar position with the same duties, benefits and wages held prior to the leave period.

  5. The Child Care Services Act was assented to in 1998. This legislation provides for improved child care services through the addition of licensed family daycare which was not previously available in this province. In addition, children under the age of 2 can now be cared for in a licensed daycare setting. Funding has also been increased for child care subsidies to allow more low-income families who meet financial eligibility requirements to receive this funding.

  6. Since 1997 in Newfoundland, there has been a major focus on removing barriers to employment, reducing dependence on income support and returning people to work. Since that time, the number of single parents on social assistance per month has declined over 8 percent, and the number of employable families in receipt of social assistance has declined by 19 percent.

Article 11 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 12: Health

  1. A reorganization of the provincial health care system resulted in the establishment of Regional Health and Community Services Boards in four regions throughout the province and Integrated Boards (Community and Institution) in two regions of the province, in addition to the six Institutional Boards. Regional governance of health and community services is accepted as the most effective mechanism for increasing the efficiency of the system. Universal health care services are available to both men and women in the province. Community-based pregnancy and postnatal services are delivered by both Regional Integrated and Health and Community Services Boards. Community health nurses are responsible for a significant amount of the programming delivered to women. Other health professionals such as nutritionists and health care educators are also involved. Confinement services are provided primarily by Regional Institutional and Integrated Health Boards. Primary care physicians are also major providers of reproductive care and are accessible throughout the province for the most part.

  2. Current renovations and expansion of the Health Sciences Complex will result in the consolidation and improvement of antenatal, perinatal and postnatal health and medical services for women in the province experiencing high risk pregnancies.
  3. Several years ago, the Morgentaler Abortion Clinic, located in St. John's, became a completely publicly funded agency, thus allowing free access to all services. Prior to this, women were charged a moderate fee.

  4. Major activities are under way both in the hospital sector and the community sector to increase the rate of breastfeeding. Detection of postpartum depression has also been highlighted in awareness and education campaigns.

  5. The recent establishment of an advanced role for nurses -- the Nurse Practitioner (NP) -- was in response to insufficient medical and health care in rural areas. The NP is assuming the full range of "normal" pregnancy services generally provided by physicians, which will allow for a greater number of services to be available closer to individual communities. Approximately 24 NPs are currently working in the province.

  6. Annual grants are provided to a variety of non-governmental organizations in the business of providing reproductive health services. Recipients include Planned Parenthood, the Care Centre for Women and others.

  7. Healthy Baby Clubs, part of the federal government's initiative Canada's Action Plan for Children, are found in many locations throughout the province. These programs provide support, education and tangible resources to pregnant women and new mothers.

Article 12 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 13: Economic and Social Life

  1. The Department of Human Resources and Employment provides increased financial support for those women who are pregnant and on income support.

Article 13 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 14: Rural Women

  1. Changes to the structure of the provincial health care system as reported in Article 12 has resulted in increased accessibility to services for those living in rural areas.

  2. The Department of Education has initiated a new program aimed at providing greater access to adult basic education in rural Newfoundland.

Article 14 - Links to Convention and other sections
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Article 16: Women and the Family

  1. In 1997-98, the Family Law Act and Regulations were amended to adopt a set of child support guidelines which provide a benchmark for the awarding of support for children of separated parents. The Act also insures that priority in granting applications be given to applications for support of a child over support of a dependent who is not a child.

Article 16 - Links to Convention and other sections
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