Dear Ms. Vecchio,
On behalf of the National Indigenous Economic Development Board (NIEDB), I would like to offer our thoughts regarding the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women’s June 2021 report entitled Women’s Unpaid Work in Canada, especially in relation to the need for the Government of Canada to promote anti-racism through the reform of data collection processes and policy. We apologize for the lateness of this response, but feel the subject matter remains relevant and extremely important.
The NIEDB is comprised of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders, and is a national, non-partisan body with a mandate to advise the Government of Canada on Indigenous economic development issues. In June of 2019, the Board released its Rapport d’étape de 2019 sur l’évolution de l’économie des Autochtones1. As stated in this report, Indigenous economic development is integral to both reconciliation, and Canadian economic growth. The report concluded that while the overall economic outcomes for Indigenous peoples are improving in Canada, this is only to varying, and sometimes small degrees. Given the slow pace of improvements, outcomes are not on track to meet our 2022 targets of economic parity between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. Additional information on the Board, our work, and our strategic priorities can be found within the attached background information, as well as at http://www.naedb-cndea.com/.
We believe that bold and immediate action must be taken, and that meaningful investments and partnerships must be made to end the economic marginalization of Indigenous peoples. Achieving true reconciliation—including economic reconciliation— is an effort that can begin immediately through actions that will have a benefit for Indigenous communities in the short and medium-term.
Specific to your report, and taking into account the points above, the Board would like to take this opportunity to identify policy areas that must be prioritized in the implementation of addressing women’s unpaid work in Canada.
Proper acknowledgment of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women’s roles within their communities is a crucial first step in supporting those who perform unpaid work. The Government of Canada must seek advice and guidance from women within Indigenous organizations and communities to ensure federal initiatives are culturally sensitive and meet their needs. To that end, consistent with Recommendations 1, 3 and Recommendation 7 of your report, the Board is recommending that meaningful recognition and collaboration with Indigenous women be of utmost priority as this work proceeds. This is particularly apparent in Indigenous communities, many of which are located in remote and rural areas.
In response to Recommendation 2 of your report, the Board agrees that a national care strategy should be developed and implemented. Indigenous women are an essential part of our communities. Indigenous women represent traditional and irreplaceable knowledge, and bring a perspective that must be considered. We must create equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in relation to socio-economic issues, and therefore, the Board is recommending that the National Care Economy Commission must include Indigenous women. We need to ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous women within this process. In addition, the proposed application of the International Labour Organization’s “5R Framework for Decent Care Work” within the Canadian context must recognize the unique contributions and varied capacities of Indigenous women within their communities. Furthermore, it will need to be developed in ways which support, engage, and enrich Indigenous cultures.
Recommendation 4 states that the federal government must increase maternity and parental benefits under the Employment Insurance system, and we agree such a step would help achieve positive change in the gendered distribution of paid and unpaid work and in women’s labour force participation. We must re-conceptualize the parental leave policy not only as an employment policy, but also as a care and social protection policy. Gender equality must also be prioritized in the design of a parental leave framework.
In Recommendation 5, you advocate that the Government of Canada, in partnership with Quebec and the other provinces and territories, ensures that all families in Canada, regardless of geographic location or immigration status, have access to high quality, affordable and inclusive childcare options. The Board agrees with this recommendation.
Recommendation 6 of your report proposes that the Government of Canada improve on immigrant and newcomer women’s awareness of and access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services and supports, including English and French language classes, as well as other social and community services. The Board supports this recommendation, and would like to place further emphasis on including the use of Indigenous languages and cultures within socio-economic support programs more explicitly.
Establishing a comprehensive and frequent process of data collection in relation to unpaid and caregiving work in Indigenous communities must also be prioritized. As stated in our 2019 Indigenous Economic Progress Report, there is a need to focus on better data collection which in turn will stimulate Indigenous economic development. Indigenous peoples, and particularly First Nations on reserve, require drastic action in order to close the gaps and address increasing disparities with the non-Indigenous population. In order to provide a proper analysis of women’s unpaid work in Canada, the Board supports Recommendation 8 of your report, and strongly recommends implementing a comprehensive, regularized data collection process, inclusive of Indigenous communities, and respecting the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access and possession (OCAP).
As your report points out, “gender stereotypes and gender roles are deeply ingrained, and they're systemic.” The same is true of stereotypes in relation to Indigenous peoples. The current regulations and operational policies must diminish barriers and improve the lives of Indigenous women. Recommendation 9 asks the Government of Canada to implement an awareness campaign to recognize invisible work, facilitate dialogue and encourage a deeper understanding of unpaid work. Overall, the Board agrees with this recommendation and in addition, strongly recommends reviewing the current regulations, including the Pay Equity Act, and operational policies through an anti-racism and culturally inclusive lens. Indigenous women have been invisible when it comes to Canadian programming and policies… this must change. This additional recommendation parallels Recommendation 10 of your report. Furthermore, the principles of reconciliation should be built into a national care strategy, as well as services that recognize Indigenous knowledge and deal with the intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools that affects many Indigenous people and families.
These recommendations must be considered by the federal government as part of a framework for acknowledging invisible and unpaid work in Canada. Of all the policy and program tools available to the government to increase Indigenous economic prosperity, addressing systemic racism through meaningful acknowledgement, inclusive data processes and policy reform is the most impactful. We urge the government to take our advice into consideration as it prepares a response to your Committee’s recommendations, and to make the necessary reforms to advance Indigenous economic development.
Thank you for consideration of the issues and recommendations articulated within this letter, and please know the Board is open to a continued dialogue, including through formal presentations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Additionally, we look forward to a response at your earliest convenience to this letter.
Kindest regards,
Dawn Madahbee Leach
Directrice général
Le Conseil national de développement économique des Autochtones
Cc: The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender
Equality and Youth Canada
The Honourable Patty Hadju, Minister of Indigenous Services
Canada