Women's Issues Discussed at Atlantic Ministers Meeting

Women's issues related to live-in caregiver protection, the sex trade and social media were part of the discussion held this week at a meeting of Atlantic ministers responsible for the Status of Women in Quispamsis, N.B.

"The government is focused on making the right decisions to make life better for women and families," said Denise Peterson-Rafuse, Minister responsible for the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. "I welcomed the chance to discuss shared issues with my Atlantic colleagues."

Topics discussed included the issue of human trafficking with a focus on live-in caregivers. The ministers asked their officials to work together to find ways to protect live-in caregivers through their existing regulatory bodies with the goal of achieving consistency among the provinces. In Nova Scotia, consultations are already underway on legislation to provide protections for temporary foreign workers, many of whom work in this area.

The ministers also shared information on sex-trade workers and agreed to work jointly toward an education initiative targeting children, youth and parents on the associated risks and trends related to social media that can open the door for sexual predators.

"Social media and the use of technology like webcams, can lead our youth into the sex trade. Often in our smaller provinces, we don't realize this issue exists, and it does." said Ms. Peterson-Rafuse. "Education and awareness are key to protecting our youth."

The ministers also provided updates on advancing the status of Aboriginal women, including a discussion on the issue of violence against Aboriginal women. They reiterated their support for the Iqaluit declaration, a commitment of federal, provincial and territorial ministers to improve the social, economic and cultural well-being of Aboriginal women, and agreed to explore opportunities for co-operation to improve the lives of Aboriginal women in Atlantic Canada.

The ministers emphasized the importance of modernizing the federal maternity and parental benefits program to better meet the needs of all women and families.

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia were represented at the day-long meeting. The ministers agreed to meet regularly to discuss further areas of common concern to women of Atlantic Canada.