Part III - Measures Adopted by the Governments of the Provinces - Saskatchewan

Article 2: Anti-Discrimination Measures

484. The Family Justice Services Branch and Dispute Resolution Office of Saskatchewan Justice provide services to individuals who need help in dealing with the difficulties arising from family breakdown, separation and divorce. Services include:

  • voluntary and court-ordered Parenting After Separation information sessions which include information on separation and divorce, options for resolving disputes, the impact of separation and divorce on children, and options for parenting in a way that keeps children out of parental conflict;
  • an information and resource centre in the area of family law;
  • mediation of all types of family law issues, including custody and access, and child and spousal support;
  • monitoring and enforcement of support orders and agreements, including reciprocal enforcement of support orders and agreements with other jurisdictions;
  • a service that provides help and resources to individuals wanting changes to their support orders;
  • supervised access/exchange services;
  • a pilot project in Saskatoon that assists parents in developing or maintaining appropriate access arrangements without going to court.

Legal aid

485. In 2005-2006, approximately 36 percent of about 20,400 clients of the Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission were female. In criminal matters, 23 percent of clients were female, and in family matters, 72 percent were female. From fiscal year 2001-2002 through to 2005-2006, the number of family law matters has averaged 4,892. In 2005-2006, the Commission approved 4,827 full service family law matters and closed 4,775 family law files. This represents about 24 percent of all matters handled by the Commission. In addition, the Commission provided 2,698 pieces of summary advice for family law matters.

486. To improve services to family law clients, the Commission designates lawyer positions for family law. It also surveys and consults with family law clients and service providers, to identify and address barriers to service for clients, especially in rural and remote communities. Results of a Client Satisfaction Survey completed in January 2006 indicated that almost 84 percent of clients were satisfied or strongly satisfied with the services received. The Commission also implemented its Web site in 2005 (www.legalaid.sk.ca) to increase information available to clients and potential clients.

Complaints of gender-related discrimination

487. In 2005-2006, 17.6 percent of allegations of discrimination, made to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC), were based upon on the ground of sex (7.2 percent based upon sexual harassment; 6.4 percent based upon pregnancy; and 4.0 percent based upon other forms of sex discrimination).

488. In May 2006, the SHRC, in partnership with Saskatchewan Labour and Service Canada, released a handbook entitled Pregnancy, Parenting and the Workplace, to assist employers and employees in understanding pregnancy and parental rights in the workplace. A copy is available at http://www.shrc.gov.sk.ca.

Aboriginal women

489. The SHRC has incorporated Aboriginal talking circles into its complaint resolution process, to make it more culturally relevant. It also travels to communities in the far north of the province, providing information about its services and learning about the unique human rights issues facing northern residents, who are primarily of First Nations, Métis or Dene ancestry. For more information on the SHRC's activities in overcoming cultural barriers and geographic distances to improve services to Aboriginal and northern communities, see paragraph 265 of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Reports of Canada on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD Reports).

Aboriginal women in custody

490. Aboriginal women are significantly over-represented in prisons. Although about 10 percent of Saskatchewan's adult population is Aboriginal, about 80 percent of those in custody are Aboriginal. For Aboriginal women, this figure is approximately 85 percent.

491. Measures to address the situation are included in the overall approach to reducing the proportion of Aboriginal people as a whole who are involved in the justice system, as recommended by the Commission on First Nations and Métis Peoples and Justice Reform, in its final report released in 2004. The Government of Saskatchewan's Action Plan was released in May 2005 in response to the Commission's report. Specific actions are being undertaken to address the underlying causes of crime, increase the involvement of Aboriginal people in justice processes, use alternatives to court and incarceration, and improve justice system responses. For further information, see paragraphs 261-263 of the ICERD Reports. Two of the targeted outcomes of the Action Plan are reduced contact with the Justice system for First Nations and Métis people, and reduced levels of incarceration.

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Article 3: Measures to Ensure the Advancement of Women

492. As indicated in paragraph 249 of the ICERD Reports, the Government of Saskatchewan proclaimed 2005 as the Year of First Nations and Métis Women. The same year, the Government hosted a Symposium on First Nations and Métis women, aimed at assisting government officials in developing effective policies and programs to meet the needs of First Nations and Métis women. Key speakers and panel members were from First Nations and Métis communities. About 130 Government staff attended the symposium, interacting with Aboriginal women and hearing about their challenges and accomplishments. Themes were drawn from the Action Plan for Saskatchewan Women: economic equality and security, safety, health and well-being, and equitable participation in leadership and decision-making.

Violence against women and girls

493. See paragraphs 247 and 248 of the ICERD Reports for information on the Domestic Violence Treatment Option Court that has been operating in North Battleford since April 2003; the Domestic Violence Court that has been operating in Saskatoon since September 2005; victims services programs, including the Aboriginal Family Violence Initiative; and the development of a Provincial Community Plan (Protocol) on Relationship Violence and Abuse.

494. See also paragraphs 270-275, on Family Violence, in Canada's Fifth Report on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR Report).

495. The final report of the Commission on First Nations and Métis Peoples and Justice Reform spoke to the issue of violence – particularly domestic violence. The Saskatchewan Action Plan released in response contains initiatives to address issues of violence, and to address the underlying causes of crime, including those that make Aboriginal women vulnerable to violence (see paragraphs 261-263 of the ICERD Reports). To be effective, the development of approaches targeted to reduce violence and misconduct needs to incorporate the diverse cultural needs of the offenders.

496. One of the initiatives identified in the Action Plan was the creation of the Domestic Violence Court in Saskatoon. Another was the implementation, by Saskatchewan Corrections and Public Safety, of a Violence Reduction Strategy. The strategy's goals are to reduce facility misconducts, decrease recidivism, increase employment, implement a risk assessment tool for domestic assault offenders and increase functional literacy skills to assist with employment opportunities.

497. In 2005, the Government of Saskatchewan began implementing a three-year program to enhance the response to missing persons cases. The Missing Persons Task Force involves three elements: increased policing resources to investigate missing persons cases; resources to support a review and redevelopment of police policies; and a strengthening of partnerships among government, police and Aboriginal and community groups to support families and communities in identifying and responding to missing persons cases. The Provincial Partnership on Missing Persons Committee, established by the Saskatchewan Government, with support from the police and Aboriginal and community organizations, is reviewing the issues arising from all missing persons cases and considering responses both to prevent people from going missing and to better respond when they do go missing. There is recognition that while the overall number of long-term missing persons cases (male and female) involves an equal number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cases, Aboriginal women are disproportionately represented among missing women.

498. The SHRC has been active in raising awareness of the issue of violence against Aboriginal women. It chose Violence against Aboriginal Women as its theme on two anniversary dates: December 6, 2005 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women; and December 10, 2005 – International Human Rights Day. The Commission also participates in a community group, Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik (“ Women Walking Together"), which aims to provide moral support to the families of missing Aboriginal women and to put an end to violence against Aboriginal women. The group hosted a public forum at White Buffalo Youth Lodge in Saskatoon on December 10, 2005, to publicize the issue of missing Aboriginal women.

Shelters for victims of violence

499. Funding for women's crisis centres and shelters increased by 17 percent from 2002-2003 to 2006-2007, with $5.5 million being provided in 2006-2007. All women are eligible to access ten shelters and 21 crisis services in Saskatchewan. The Government of Canada provides additional funding for four First Nations shelters, one of which is co-funded by the Government of Saskatchewan. Challenges are in providing services in a province with a large and varied geographic area with a small but culturally diverse population. Needs of women include financial resources, transportation, and accommodation. This can be especially challenging for families with large numbers of children, for northern and rural residents who have to leave the community to ensure safety, and for disabled persons who need services tailored to meet their needs.

500. The confidential toll-free Farm Stress Line for rural residents, referred to in paragraph 943 of the Fifth Report of Canada under this Convention, continues to provide counseling assistance, referrals and information specifically tailored to the needs of rural callers. About one-half of the callers to the service are women. Approximately 22 percent of Saskatchewan farm operators are women.

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Article 6: Trafficking of Women and Exploitation

Sexual exploitation of children and youth

501. See paragraph 272 of Canada's Fifth Report on the ICESCR for information on The Emergency Protection for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Act.

502. In 2006, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that it is expanding its strategy on Child Sexual Exploitation by:

  • funding five new municipal police positions (two in Saskatoon, two in Regina, and one in Prince Albert) to work closely with community organizations and government agencies, in dealing with street level sexual exploitation of children;
  • establishing a specialized unit staffed by two prosecutors and one assistant coordinator to strengthen the Province's ability to use the National Flagging System to identify long-term offender or dangerous offender cases. One new Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigator will work closely with the prosecutors.
  • developing a public education campaign aimed at prevention of child sexual exploitation.
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Article 7: Women in Politics and Public Life

503. Nine out of 57 (16 percent) of members elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature are women. There is one vacancy. Three out of 19 (16 percent) Cabinet Ministers are women. Eight of 21 Deputy Ministers are women (38 percent). Women comprise about one-quarter of Saskatchewan's judiciary: 11 of 47 (23.4 percent) on the Provincial Court, 12 of 40 (30 percent) on the Court of Queen's Bench and three of nine (33 percent) on the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal.

504. In 2003-2004, 34 percent of public servants in senior management in Executive Government were women. In 2005-2006, that figure had increased to 37.8 percent. In 2003-2004, 32.1 percent of those in middle management and other management positions were women. In 2005-2006, the percentage was 33.1 percent.

505. One of the four goals of the Action Plan for Saskatchewan Women is the equitable participation of women in leadership and decision-making in all sectors of society and the economy (see paragraphs 508-510 of Canada's Fifth Report on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). Gender-based analysis has been offered to key Government staff and Departments since 2003. Saskatchewan has appointed 32 Advisors on Women's Policy – one in each Government Department and Crown Corporation. Decisions that go before Cabinet are scrutinized by senior advisors with a gender and diversity lens. Other initiatives under this goal were reported in the Progress Report on the Action Plan for Saskatchewan Women (http://www.swo.gov.sk.ca).

Aboriginal women

506. Through the First Nations and Métis Women's Initiative, funding support is provided to First Nations and Métis women's provincial organizations to assist them with undertaking projects and policy development activities of benefit to their respective members. Funding is currently provided to the Saskatchewan First Nations Women's Commission, an arm of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN), as well as the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Women's Circle Corporation, the provincial representative for the Native Women's Association of Canada, to address priority issues identified by their members.

507. Women's voices and participation in self-government negotiations are increasing. Both the FSIN and the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan have women's organizations that were created to provide input into processes such as self-government negotiations, and negotiations and agreements related to employment, health, education and child and family services. The Meadow Lake Tribal Council has a Tribal Chief who is a woman and a First Nation woman is leading negotiations on behalf of the First Nations at the Federal/Provincial/Meadow Lake First Nations governance table. There are approximately 15 women Chiefs out of approximately 75 Chiefs representing First Nations – more than at any other time in the past. It is hoped the growing number of women Chiefs will lead to more equitable representation at negotiating tables and discussions on agreements for service delivery. This trend has been noted in local level Métis political organizations as well.

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Article 10: Education

Aboriginal women and girls

508. Saskatchewan's curriculum articulates meeting the needs and interests of each individual student through the Adaptive Dimension to help each progress toward her potential. In addition, curriculum and policy advocate for First Nations and Métis content, perspectives and ways of knowledge.

509. Although there are few data indicators specific to Aboriginal girls, available indicators show Aboriginal girls achieving at least similar results as Aboriginal boys. For example, in 2003, significantly more grade 12 females than males intended to attend post-secondary education following graduation. Also, unpublished secondary analysis of provincial assessments show that Aboriginal girls perform about the same in mathematics as Aboriginal boys, and perform much better than Aboriginal boys in reading. These patterns are also seen in the overall population.

510. Other Saskatchewan indicators that compare gender outcomes to the overall student population indicate girls tend to have higher grade 12 marks than boys in virtually all subject areas, have greater representation than boys in post-secondary education, have greater representation than boys in scholarship awards and in professional faculties at universities, and have lower secondary school dropout rates than boys. The extent to which these comparisons exist between Aboriginal girls and boys is not known; however, anecdotal evidence suggests a similar directional advantage in favour of Aboriginal girls.

511. 2001 Census data from Statistics Canada compares the overall educational achievement of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal females in Saskatchewan. Looking at the age group of 15 to 24 year olds, 54 percent of Aboriginal women were in school full time or part time, compared with 60 percent of non-Aboriginal women. With respect to achieving some post-secondary education, the gap for this age group widens between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. In 2001, 14 percent of Aboriginal women had some post-secondary education, compared to 23 percent of non-Aboriginal women.

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Article 11: Employment

Employment measures

512. Barriers to employment include a lack of adequate daycare, costs involved in maintaining employment, transportation costs and housing issues. The Government of Saskatchewan is addressing these barriers through the Building Independence Strategy, through which low income families can receive financial benefits to assist in addressing these costs.

Aboriginal women

513. Aboriginal women off reserve are eligible to apply for the same programs and services as non-Aboriginal people. Increases to provincial income support programs provide additional income benefits. Basic children's benefits are provided to all low-income parents through the integrated federal-provincial child tax benefits. Residential School Survivor Payments for Aboriginal people are exempt from inclusion in income for basic social assistance programs.

Affordable childcare

514. Saskatchewan has implemented the following childcare enhancements:

  • elimination of the childcare waiting list for children with a high level of disability;
  • child care worker wage lifts of an average of three percent effective April 1, 2005; six percent effective November 1, 2005, and nine percent effective April 1, 2006;
  • childcare subsidy enhancements of an average of $20 per month, effective June 1, 2005 and additional subsidy enhancements to increase coverage to over 85 percent of 2005 fees, extending the income cut-off as well;
  • expansion of licensed child care spaces by 1,450 in the period from January 2003 to May 2006.
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Article 12: Health

Access to health care

515. Saskatchewan has established 38 primary health care teams that provide increased access to health care services. A coordinated professional health care team approach, coupled with the necessary technologies, support continuous improvements in the quality and coordination of care.

516. Saskatchewan's TeleHealth Network has 26 sites throughout the province that provide teleconference education sessions for health care workers and members of the public, and specialist clinics that reduce the hardships and costs of travel to larger centres to receive care. Saskatchewan also has a toll-free, 24‑hour, seven-days-a-week health information line, staffed by specially trained registered nurses. In 2005-2006, HealthLine managed 85,000 calls from every health region in the province, and became the access point for concerns related to crystal methamphetamine. It is expanding capacity to provide 24/7 mental health and addictions support, and to include an on-line component.

Specific health issues

517. The Community Oncology Program of Saskatchewan, a partnership between the Regional Health Authorities and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, has 16 centres with specially trained professionals to provide chemotherapy and supportive care to cancer patients, reducing the need for patients to travel to major centers for therapy.

518. The Saskatchewan Surgical Care Network includes a province-wide surgical registry that tracks all patients needing surgery. Since March 2004, it has reduced the waiting list in the seven largest regions by approximately 3,100 cases.

519. Midwifery services are being introduced for the care of low-risk birthing women. The model of care is based on principles of informed choice and informed consent, choice of birthplace, respect for normal birth, continuity of care, judicious and appropriate use of medical technology, and evidence-based practice (meaning that midwives are professionally trained health care providers with university degrees, who incorporate the latest scientific evidence and best practices into their work).

520. Pregnant women who are HIV positive participate in a prenatal program to reduce the risk of HIV perinatal transmission, and to facilitate post-delivery follow-up with the infant and mother. All HIV positive women can access case management services in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, to assist with life functioning and to improve treatment compliance.

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Article 13: Economic and Social Life

Measures to fight poverty

521. Saskatchewan has increased social benefits, particularly those outside of income assistance that support employment. The impact is that women have more money to support their families and are less dependent on government assistance. A single parent with two children received $7,549 more from social assistance in 2006 than they did in 1997. A single parent with two children, working at minimum wage, received $8,620 more in 2006 than they did in 1997. Minimum wage has increased and may be supplemented by income supports such as the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement and the Family Rental Housing Supplement. In 1998, there were 28,696 women in Saskatchewan who received social assistance. In 2005, this number had decreased to 24,234.

522. In 1998, 12.1 percent of Saskatchewan women were considered low-income; in 2004, this percentage was 10.1 percent. In 1998, 12.4 percent of females less than 18 years old were considered low-income, as were 13.8 percent of females aged 18-64, 5.1 percent of females aged 65 and older, 8.9 percent of females in married or common law families, and 31.4 percent of single females. In 2004, 12 percent of females less than 18 years of age were considered low-income, as were 11.4 percent of females aged 18-64, 2.3 percent of females aged 65 and older, 7.7 percent of females in married or common law families, and 24.2 percent of single females.

Support programs and services

523. Saskatchewan has made increases to most of its income assistance programs, including the Social Assistance Program, Saskatchewan Employment Supplement, Child Care Subsidy Program and Child Nutritional Development Programs. Additional disability supports are provided for health, employment income supports and taxation. Saskatchewan has also introduced new income assistance programs to support people moving to employment, housing and increased service responses for people with cognitive disabilities.

524. Fewer Saskatchewan women are in receipt of social assistance, indicating that programs outside of social assistance are working to help people find employment and become self-sufficient. In 1997, a single parent with two children received $15,536 annually; in 2006, this family received $23,085 annually.

525. Saskatchewan has increased basic income assistance benefits and the earnings exemption for persons with disabilities so they retain more of their earnings to help with the costs related to their disabilities. The Disability Housing Supplement has also been introduced, to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to quality, affordable housing. Employment support programs help those with disabilities remain in the workforce and access jobs in the public service.

Women's access to housing

526. Available social housing units are allocated to applicants on the basis of the greatest need, taking into account existing shelter conditions, costs, and social and health factors (e.g. victims of domestic violence). Social housing in Saskatchewan serves primarily women – largely households headed by lone mothers or lone seniors. New policies have been put into place, including a quality shelter supplement that is available to low-income families and people with disabilities, contingent on quality housing choices. A series of educational modules will support clients in addressing their housing needs.

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Article 14: Rural Women

527. Farm safety net programs (e.g. crop insurance) help provide an income safety net for farmers and farm families. All farmers who meet eligibility criteria may participate in the programs. Statistics are not collected on gender of participants. Approximately 22 percent of Saskatchewan farm operators are women.

528. The Canadian Agricultural Skills Service Program provides support to farm families for training and education. The program is fully funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by provincial governments. The program was implemented in Saskatchewan in June 2005. Once a farm unit (which includes a farmer and the farmer's spouse) is qualified, both spouses are eligible for training benefits. If their three-year average net income is less than $35,000, both spouses qualify for separate benefits of $16,000 each; if between $35,000 and $40,000, they qualify for $12,000 each; if between $40,000 and $45,000, they qualify for $8,000 each. To date, approximately 39 percent of approved applications have been for spouses, which primarily have been women.

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