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2008-09
Departmental Performance Report



Status of Women Canada





The original version was signed by
The Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

The Honourable Helena Guergis
Minister of State (Status of Women)





Contents

Minister’s Message
 
Section I — Agency Overview
 
1.1 Summary Information
1.2 Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture
1.3 Summary of Performance
1.4 Risk Analysis
1.5 Expenditure Profile
1.6 Voted and Statutory Items
 
Section II — Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome
 
2.1 Strategic Outcome
2.2 Program Activity by Strategic Outcome
 
Section III — Supplementary Information
 
3.1 Financial Highlights (in dollars)
3.2 Financial Statements
3.3 List of Supplementary Information Tables
3.4 Other Items of Interest
 


Minister’s Message

The Honourable Helena Guergis, Minister of State (Status of Women)As Minister of State (Status of Women), I am pleased to present Status of Women Canada’s Departmental Performance Report for 2008–2009. The report provides a summary of Status of Women Canada’s accomplishments during the reporting year. It also demonstrates how the agency supports the Government of Canada in advancing equality for women and ensuring their full participation in Canadian society.

Emerging from a period of organizational transition in 2008–2009, Status of Women Canada enhanced the efficiency of its policy and program functions.

The agency began the very important task of developing a Federal Action Plan for Women to ensure a vibrant Canadian society that benefits from the full participation and contribution of women. Various initiatives were launched to facilitate its implementation. Interdependent, the three pillars of the Action Plan are: improving women’s economic security and prosperity, ending violence against women and girls, and, encouraging women in leadership and decision-making roles.

In 2008–2009, we saw progress in all areas but nowhere more significantly than in women’s economic security and prosperity. Indeed, during the current global economic crisis, Canadian women have become key players in our country’s economic recovery, due in part to their increased labour force participation and in part to their high rate of entrepreneurial engagement in domestic and international markets.

In 2008–2009, through strategic partnership and innovative projects, Status of Women Canada stepped up its efforts to provide women with opportunities to play active leadership roles and to build their economic security, thereby contributing to Canada’s prosperity. Collaborative projects—such as WEConnect Canada’s Opening Doors to Corporate Markets: An Education, Training, Coaching and Mentoring Program, Equal Voice’s Experiences project and the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance’s Supporting Women’s Leadership in the Advanced Technology Sectors—were launched during the reporting year, all specifically designed to remove barriers to women’s participation in the economy and to bring about systemic change in key areas. The results of these initiatives will be highlighted in the next Departmental Performance Report.

Fundamental to the Action Plan is the integration of gender-based analysis, which takes inter-sectionality into account, in the delivery of services and in the development of policies, programs and legislation across government. Thanks to Status of Women Canada’s sustained efforts, the Government of Canada is a recognized world leader in gender-based analysis and central agencies are now taking a more active role in ensuring accountability for its application within the federal public sector. This has led to an increased demand for the agency’s assistance in the form of information, training, tools and expertise. Status of Women Canada also maintained its role of promoting the integration of gender-based analysis in the work of various decision-making bodies, including federal/provincial/territorial and international fora.

Status of Women Canada continued to reach out to women in all parts of the country with opportunities to become full participants in their communities and in Canadian society. Through the Women’s Program, the agency provided financial and professional assistance to projects at the local, regional and national levels. These projects, many employing innovative strategies, targeted diverse groups of women and girls and addressed a wide range of issues. Since 2007, SWC-funded projects have had a direct impact on more than 140,000 women and girls and an indirect impact on over 1.6 million women and girls.

Status of Women Canada’s funding of the Sisters in Spirit initiative has enabled the agency to develop partnerships with key players, to increase public awareness and knowledge and to promote policy initiatives on violence issues pertaining to Aboriginal women and girls (First Nations, Inuit and Métis). SWC’s contribution to Sisters in Spirit is in addition to numerous projects and partnerships across the country, supported by Status of Women Canada, to address the unique concerns and challenges of Aboriginal women. These projects range from providing leadership skills to teaching financial literacy, to working to prevent violence against women. The projects are creating the conditions for Aboriginal women to participate fully in Canadian society.

To help facilitate the leadership roles of Aboriginal women, SWC is providing financial and professional assistance to Equal Voice’s project, entitled “Getting to the Gate: National Aboriginal Module” designed to increase the presence of Aboriginal women in decision-making bodies where their voices are severely under-represented. With the active involvement of 15 Aboriginal organizations, this project is focused on providing culturally relevant knowledge to empower Aboriginal women so as to assume leadership roles.

In 2008–2009, 15 per cent of the projects completed addressed issues specifically relevant to immigrant women, including their social and economic integration. These projects sought to promote the economic security of immigrant women who were familiarized with the labour market through knowledge acquisition, mentorship and leadership skills. SWC funding was also made available for projects designed with a specific focus on culturally relevant approaches to understanding and dealing with violence.

I am both pleased and proud of the progress we have made during this pivotal and forward-looking year. By working together in a concerted and strategic way, we are ensuring that women and girls have opportunities to realize their potential and participate meaningfully in Canadian society.

The Honourable Helena Guergis, P.C., M.P.
 

Section I — Agency Overview

1.1 Summary Information

Raison d’ętre and Responsibilities

 
The Government of Canada established the Office of the Coordinator, Status of Women, in 1976 with the mandate to coordinate policy with respect to the status of women and to administer related programs. (Order in Council 1976–779)
 

The Office of the Coordinator, Status of Women, plays a primary role in advancing equality for women in Canada. To play this role effectively, the agency works in collaboration with a wide range of partners such as federal departments and agencies, provincial/territorial governments, the private and voluntary sectors as well as international organizations.

In 2008–2009, SWC sought to achieve a single strategic outcome, “strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada.” The strategic outcome for 2009–2010 has been modified as “Equality for women and their full participation in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.” SWC has already started carrying out initiatives that contribute toward this strategic outcome. The results of these initiatives will be highlighted in the 2009–2010 performance report.

The strategic outcome for 2008–2009 is supported by two Program Activities. The first, strategic policy advice and partnerships, involves the provision of strategic policy advice and analyses, training and tools as well as the development of partnerships to support federal departments and central agencies in integrating gender-based analysis (GBA)1 in their policies, programs and services.

The second Program Activity, financial assistance for projects to improve social, economic and cultural outcomes for women, involves the provision of funding and professional assistance for projects at local, regional and national levels. It also facilitates strategic partnerships to remove systemic barriers and to encourage women’s full participation in society, the economy and in the democratic life of Canada and leverages resources to support equality for women. This Program Activity is supported by two sub-activities: the Women’s Program and the Sisters in Spirit initiative.

SWC has a governance structure through which specific accountabilities are attributed to Executive Committee members. As a decision-making body, the Executive Committee ensures the efficient management of SWC, the achievement of the agency’s expected results and progress toward its planned strategic outcome. The Executive Committee is supported by other committees that play advisory and operational roles.

The SWC head office is located in the National Capital Region. Other regional offices are located in Montreal (serving Quebec and Nunavut), Moncton (serving New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador), Edmonton (serving Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Yukon) and Ottawa (serving Ontario and national organizations). (http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca)
 

1.2 Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture

The chart below illustrates the Program Activity Architecture (PAA) of SWC2. It reflects the agency’s strategic outcome, program activities and sub-activities. As a framework, the PAA serves to allocate and manage resources, align program activities, elaborate expected results and advance the SWC strategic outcome. While distinct in design and delivery, the two Program Activities are complementary in their contributions to the achievement of the strategic outcome, which is: Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada.

The first Program Activity—development of strategic policy advice and partnerships – is expected to achieve enabling results that are demonstrated through cross-cutting partnerships that lead to policy positions and strategies that promote gender equality. This Program Activity is also designed to achieve enhanced GBA ability and stronger accountability for gender equality within federal institutions. The second Program Activity – financial assistance for projects to improve social, economic and cultural outcomes for women – is designed to achieve empowering results that demonstrate the extent to which women are provided with opportunities to participate in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada. 

Visual depiction of Status of Women Canada’s (SCW) Program Activity Architecture (PAA) for 2009–2010.
 

1.3 Summary of Performance
 


Financial Resources ($ millions)
Planned spending Total authorities Actual spending
31.7 36.1 32.4

 


2008–2009 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Actual Difference
89 89 0

 


Strategic Outcome: Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada
Performance Targets 2008–2009 Performance
indicators3    
  • Increased representation of women in senior decision-making positions in public and private sectors
  • Increased representation of women in the labour market, including increased access to support programs and services for entrepreneurs
  • Increased representation of women in key occupational categories, including non-traditional occupations

1% increase per year

In 2008–2009, SWC made progress toward its strategic outcome, as shown by the following evidence:

  • Increased representation of women in the House of Commons, Cabinet and Supreme Court of Canada. Gaps remain in senior decision-making positions in the private and public sectors and in certain non-traditional occupations.
  • Increased labour market participation among 15–64 year old women: 68.2% in 1997 vs. 74.3% in 2008.
  • Increased entrepreneurship among women: In 2007, women made up 35% of all self-employed individuals, an increase from 30 years ago when it was 27%.


 
Program 2007– 2008–2009 ($ millions) Alignment to
activity 2008 Main Planned Total Actual Government
  Actual esti- spend- Auth- spend- of Canada
  spend- mates ing orities ing Outcomes4
  ing          

Strategic policy advice and partnerships

2.0

2.5

2.5

3.2

3.1

Government Affairs

Financial assistance for projects to improve social, economic and cultural outcomes for women

23.3

22.3

29.2

32.9

29.3

Economic Affairs

Total

25.3

24.8

31.7

36.1

32.4

 

Plus: Services received without charge

1.2

N/A

1.4

N/A

1.4

 

Total departmental spending

26.5

24.8

33.1

36.1

33.8

 

 


Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome
Operational Type Status Linkages to
priorities     strategic5 outcome
Building strategic partnerships with federal departments, other levels of government and international bodies to ensure women’s full participation and to assist central agencies and departments in applying a gender-perspective to policy and program development. Ongoing Successfully met
 
Through new and/or existing strategic partnerships, SWC continued to influence policies and programs so as to address issues that affect women.
 
Through sustained efforts, SWC enhanced central agency role in ensuring accountability for gender equality and increased GBA capacity among federal institutions.		 SO:Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada
 
PA 1:Strategic policy advice and partnerships
Funding specific projects through the Women’s Program and the Sisters in Spirit (SIS) initiative Ongoing Successfully met
 
In 2008–2009, SWC-funded projects provided opportunities to women to identify and address barriers that impede their participation in society.
 
SIS increased awareness about violence against Aboriginal women.		 SO:Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada
 
PA 2:Financial assistance for projects to improve social, economic and cultural outcomes for women
Developing accountability mechanisms to monitor and measure progress Ongoing Successfully met
 
By putting in place effective control mechanisms, SWC is making progress toward integrated risk management and increased capacity for accountability for results.		 SO:Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada
Management Type Status Linkages to
priorities     strategic outcome
Strengthening the organizational structure to ensure alignment between government and SWC accountabilities Ongoing Successfully met
 
By modernizing infrastructure and systems, SWC is ensuring that its decision-making processes meet government requirements for accountability.		 SO:Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada

 

1.4 Risk Analysis

SWC fulfills its mandate within a context where the overall status of women has advanced on the one hand while gender equality gaps remain on the other. Moreover, SWC works in a complex environment characterized by an increasing demographic diversity among women, the emergence of new issues and the growing demand for its financial and professional support. As such, SWC assesses its strategic context and operating environment in order to identify opportunities and challenges and to manage the associated risks. The strategic context allows SWC to focus its activities and invest resources in areas where the need is the greatest and intervention is most needed. As such, SWC has already achieved concrete results within the three pillars of the Action Plan, thereby advancing its strategic outcome.
 

Strategic Context

Economic Security and Prosperity

Labour market participation:  In Canada, women’s labour market participation and rate of employment have increased consistently over time. Indeed, all increases in Canadian labour force participation over the past 30 years can be attributed to women. As a result, the labour market gap has narrowed significantly, with women’s participation now approaching that of men. Concurrently, women are increasingly choosing self-employment and entrepreneurship. In 2007, women made up 35 per cent of all self-employed individuals, a significant increase from 30 years ago when it was 27 per cent.6

  • Over the past decade (1997–2008), the labour force participation rate for working-age women (15–64 years) has risen from 68.2 per cent to 74.3 per cent (a six percentage point difference) while the male participation rate (15–64 years) has been stable at 82 per cent.
     
  • The employment rate for working-age women has increased over the past decade, rising from 62.1 per cent in 1997 to 70.1 per cent in 2008, an eight percentage point increase.
     
  • The incidence of long term-unemployment (12 months and over) among women (6.3 per cent) is lower than that of men (8.4 per cent).
    (Source: Labour Force Survey)

Effects of recession:  Past and current experiences show that recessions affect women and men differently. Women tend to be less vulnerable to job loss during recession largely because they are not concentrated in those industries that are hardest hit by recession, such as manufacturing and construction. However, while women are generally less affected than men, some groups of women are more vulnerable compared to others. For example, the labour market participation rate among young women (aged 15–24) dropped from 67.1 per cent to 65.8 per cent between October 2008 and March 2009. Also, unemployment among established immigrant women (with more than five years of residence) increased from 6 per cent to 7.7 per cent during the same period.

Additionally, seniors who depend on investment incomes have been particularly impacted by the current global financial crisis. In Canada, women make up the majority of seniors (57 per cent of seniors over 65 and 69 per cent of those 85 and over).
 

Violence against Women and Girls

Violence against women and girls is one of the serious issues facing our society. Women are the most likely victims of police-reported violence across Canada. Young women experience the highest rates of violence. Aboriginal women are particularly vulnerable. (The spousal homicide rate among Aboriginal women is more than eight times that for non-Aboriginal women. Aboriginal women are three times more likely to experience spousal violence than non-Aboriginal women.)

  • Women account for 83 per cent of victims in police-reported spousal violence.
     
    (Family Violence in Canada Statistical Profile 2008. Ottawa: Statistics Canada 2008)
     
  • Between 1997 and 2006, young women (15–24 years old) were killed at a rate nearly three times higher than for all female victims of spousal homicide.
     
  • Girls under the age of 18 experienced sexual assault (committed by family members) four times more frequently than boys.

 

Leadership and Democratic Participation

The participation of women in political, economic and social life and in decision-making processes has been increasing steadily in Canada.

  • House of Commons:  Of the current 307 members, 69 are women (highest proportion of seats to date).
     
  • Cabinet:  In October 2008, the Prime Minister appointed the largest proportion—29 per cent—of women to Cabinet (11 of the 38 sitting Cabinet Ministers are women).
     
  • Supreme Court of Canada:  Four of the nine judges are women.
     
  • Appointments:  Since 2006, women received 30 per cent of the appointments made by the Government of Canada to Cabinet, Boards and Commissions.

There is, however, much to be done to enhance both the presence of and participation by women in Canada’s political, judicial, public and financial institutions. Also, the representation of women in provincial and territorial legislatures (21 per cent) falls short of the 30 per cent minimum mark put forward by the United Nations to ensure that women’s concerns are adequately reflected in decision-making processes. In 2009, the representation of women in Canadian municipal councils stands at 23 per cent.
 

Operating Environment

Opportunities

Action Plan:  In 2008–2009, having moved beyond the transition period, SWC continued to consolidate the results achieved through the organizational change process. As such, during the reporting year, the agency conducted work to develop a Federal Action Plan for Women with a focus on three pillars:

  • improving women’s economic security and prosperity,
     
  • ending violence against women and girls, and
     
  • encouraging women in leadership and decision-making roles.
     

Minister of State:  In 2008–2009, the appointment of a Minister of State responsible exclusively for the Status of Women portfolio represented an opportunity for a stronger voice on issues of concern to women in the government agenda, a more visible role for SWC and partnerships with key players to produce sustainable improvements for women in areas of priority.

These opportunities have yielded concrete results in different ways. For example, the 27th annual meeting of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women, co-chaired by the Minister of State (Status of Women), identified the urgency of exploring ways to facilitate women’s labour force participation and economic security, with particular emphasis on increasing women’s participation in non-traditional occupations and sectors of employment, considered actions toward improving the lives of First Nations, Inuit and Métis women, both on and off reserve, and discussed measures to address violence against women in Canada.

As well, the Minister of State (Status of Women) continues to support efforts to establish an international governance model for shelters, which will develop international links among communities of practice in Canada and globally, thereby increasing their capacity to serve women who experience violence. A number of strategic initiatives, established through partnerships, are currently in progress7 and will be highlighted in the 2009–2010 Departmental Performance Report.

After her appointment, the Minister of State reached out to women across the country to share her views about status of women in Canadian society and internationally. On behalf of the Government of Canada, in November 2008, she signed on to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) campaign, Say NO to Violence Against Women.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Status of Women continued to provide an opportunity for sustained dialogue on gender equality, thereby keeping decision-makers informed of issues pertaining to women’s participation in society and facilitating government action on equality for women.http://www2.parl.gc.ca/CommitteeBusiness/CommitteeHome.aspx?Cmte=FEWO&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=2
 

Challenges

Risk Management:  In 2008–2009, SWC conducted sessions with employees to develop an integrated risk management approach and to augment risk-based decision-making processes. As well, risk identification, assessment and mitigation tools were routinely used in carrying out the two SWC Program Activities. Work began to develop a Corporate Risk Profile (CRP) and to identify risks and mitigation strategies (see table). This CRP will be completed in 2009–2010.


 
Key risk Mitigation measure Linkage to PA
HR capacity:  SWC’s HR capacity to deliver on its mandate, achieve expected results and advance toward its long-term planned outcome.
  • Continued training and development of SWC staff
  • Succession planning and HR Plans
  • Corporate Business Plan
 PA 1
 
PA 2
Program reach:  The ability of SWC to respond to the growing demand for financial and professional assistance.
  • Strategic investment in key areas
  • SWC’s Action Plan
 PA 2
Recipient capacity:  The capacity of funding recipients to achieve results that contribute to SWC’s expected results and strategic outcome.
  • SWC will continue to deliver information sessions and professional assistance to potential applicants and funding recipients.
  • SWC will make tools and templates available to assist organizations in carrying out projects.
 PA 2
Values and ethics:  a shared sense of vision and a set of values to guide its work.
  • SWC will continue to engage staff in the development of its Values and Ethics Framework.
 PA 1
 
PA 2
 
PA 3

 

1.5 Expenditure Profile

In 2008–2009, SWC spent a total of $32.4 million to carry out its Program Activities, to achieve expected results and to advance toward its planned strategic outcome.

Authorities and subsequent spending in 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 have increased from previous fiscal years as a result of additional funding made available to SWC through Budget 2007 to invest in projects as a proactive measure to achieve concrete outcomes in key areas such as women’s economic security and prosperity and violence against women and girls.

This horizontal bar chart, labelled “Spending Trend,” visually depicts SWC’s planned spending, total authorities, and actual spending for fiscal years 2005–06 through 2008–09.
 

1.6 Voted and Statutory Items

In 2007–2008, SWC did not expend fully funding received through Budget 2007 as it was received late in the fiscal year. The increase in spending in 2008–2009 from 2007–2008 reflects the fact that SWC received this new funding earlier in the Estimates process, along with $4.9 million ($2 million in December 2007 and $2.9 million in March 2008) re-profiled from 2007–2008 to 2008–2009 in Gs&Cs.


($ millions)
Vote # or Truncated Vote or 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2008–09
Statutory Statutory Wording Actual Actual Main Actual
Item   Spending Spending Estimates Spending
(S)          
100 Operating expenditures 11.1 8.5 7.5 9.4
101 Pursuant to Section 24.1(1) of the Financial Administration Act, to forgive a debt — 0.7 — —
105 Grants and contributions 11.6 15.2 16.3 22.0
(S) Contributions to employee benefit plans 1.3 0.9 1.0 1.0
  Total 24.0 25.3 24.8 32.4


Section II — Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

2.1 Strategic Outcome

 
Strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada
 

In 2008–2009, SWC sought to achieve a single strategic outcome: strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada. While different players across the federal government do also contribute to this outcome, SWC plays a crucial role in its realization. As such, the agency has developed a Performance Measurement Framework to monitor progress, identify gaps and make adjustments to ensure this outcome. To monitor progress toward the strategic outcome, SWC uses performance indicators that demonstrate the extent to which women are represented in senior decision-making positions, the labour market and non-traditional occupations. To support this strategic outcome, SWC carries out two program activities, as discussed below.
 

2.2 Program Activity by Strategic Outcome
 


Program Activity 1: Strategic policy advice and partnerships
2008–2009
Financial Resources ($ millions) Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Total Actual Planned Actual Difference
spending authorities spending      
2.5 3.2 3.1 24 24 —
Expected Performance Targets Perfor- Performance
results indicators9   mance summary
      status  
  • New and improved policy positions and strategies
 Strategies/ policies/ initiatives are developed with key departments that address the situation of women in Canada 100% Met all SWC is making progress toward these expected results through:
  • increased partnerships with federal organizations in addressing issues that affect women.
  • Sustain- able capacity of other govern- ment depart- ments and agencies to apply GBA8
 Percentage of other depart- ments with increased capacity to incorporate GBA into their policy and program activities    
  • increased knowledge of GBA among federal departments/agencies,
  • enhanced central agency role in ensuring accountability for gender equality,
  • growing recognition of GBA by departments/agencies in preparing TB Submissions and Memoranda to Cabinet.
 

Benefits for Canadians

As indicated in its Management, Resources and Results Structure (MRRS), SWC provides advice, strategic policy analyses, training and develops partnerships to support federal departments and central agencies in meeting the specific needs of women. It also helps build their capacity to integrate GBA in their policies, programs and services. This is done through the Program Activity, strategic policy advice and partnerships. This Program Activity is linked to the Government of Canada’s outcome, Government Affairs. As such, SWC contributes toward an efficient and effective operation of government machinery, which is demonstrated by federal institutions that are equipped with the knowledge, expertise and tools required to integrate gender considerations in policy formulation, program development and service delivery and to address differential impacts adversely affecting women.

In 2008–2009, SWC implemented a number of initiatives to help build GBA capacity within federal institutions, as demonstrated by the increased number of departments and agencies that sought and/or received the agency’s assistance in this area. As a result, there is evidence of increased familiarity with GBA among federal institutions. As well, with the enhanced GBA challenge functions of central agencies, there is greater focus on accountability for gender equality within the federal government. As central agencies’ capacity to exercise their challenge function continues to grow and departments become more familiar with the expectations of GBA and its implementation, these combined activities are expected to lead to improved policy positions and strategies, strengthening women’s participation. This will, in turn, contribute to SWC’s strategic outcome: strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada.

Performance Analysis

New or improved policy positions and strategies:  The discussion below shows how the initiatives carried out during the reporting year contributed to the achievement of SWC’s expected result: new or improved policy positions and strategies.

  • Aboriginal women:  In its Report on Plans and Priorities for 2008–2009, SWC committed to continuing to build strategic partnerships with other federal departments, different levels of government and other organizations to remove systemic barriers to women’s participation and to influence public policies and programs. As such, the agency worked with federal institutions, provincial/territorial governments and Aboriginal organizations on evidence-based and culturally relevant policies and programs to address Aboriginal women’s issues. Some of the key results to which SWC contributed are highlighted below:
     
    • Aboriginal women’s human rights protection and repeal of S.67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act
       
    • advancing legislation on matrimonial real property rights on reserves
       
    • As part of federal response, SWC funded initiatives that addressed the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit recommendations related to the well-being, equality and security of Aboriginal women.
     
  • In preparation for the second National Aboriginal Women’s Summit (NAWS) in 2008, SWC hosted a workshop, Moving Toward Culturally Relevant Gender-Based Analysis. The workshop brought together participants from Status of Women Canada and other federal and provincial government bodies to share knowledge and experience about culturally relevant forms of GBA. The FPT workshop which was set up to build momentum for the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit 2008 provided an overview of the key components of a culturally-relevant GBA framework, as it was generated by Aboriginal women and organizations, an update on what was happening on culturally-relevant GBA in the provinces and territories and allowed for the sharing of best practices.
  • Through the federal/provincial/territorial (F/P/T) forum, SWC continued its work in training justice officials on the topic of Aboriginal women and violence. This initiative is expected to bring about changes that help improve the treatment of Aboriginal women by the justice system.
  • Human Trafficking:  In 2008–2009, SWC, in partnership with other federal organizations, developed and delivered training to front-line law enforcement and justice officials across Canada on the laws and issues surrounding human trafficking. In delivering the SWC section of the training, the vulnerability of Aboriginal women and girls to trafficking within Canada was highlighted. It is expected that through this initiative, SWC will have contributed to greater understanding among law enforcement, border and immigration officials in identifying victims of human trafficking and in prosecuting traffickers.
     
  • International:  In March 2009, The Minister of State (Status of Women) led the Canadian delegation at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Canada made important contributions to the outcomes document in key areas, including the need to demonstrate that men and women equally share responsibilities in the efforts to achieve gender equality.
     
  • SWC co-led, with the Department of Canadian Heritage, the preparations for Canada’s appearance in October 2008 before the U.N. Committee responsible for monitoring the compliance by State Parties with the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Canada submitted the combined 6th and 7th Reports (April 1999-March 2006) to the UN CEDAW Committee, highlighting a number of successes and challenges, including the situation of Aboriginal women and women’s economic security.
     
  • Gender Equality Indicators Project:  As indicated in the Report on Plans and Priorities for 2008–2009, SWC continued to work in collaboration with Statistics Canada and other departments such as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Health Canada to develop a national set of gender equality indicators. A plan has been developed to establish the gender equality indicators for 2011.
     

Sustainable capacity of other government departments and agencies to apply GBA:  In 2008–2009, SWC continued to provide assistance in the form of GBA trainers and training materials, tools, workshops and expertise to different federal organizations. Departments such as Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada continued to look to SWC for leadership, capacity building, expertise and support related to GBA. Others such as Industry Canada are beginning to build GBA capacity. Departments such as Department of National Defence or central agencies (the Privy Council Office, Treasury Board Secretariat, Department of Finance) continue to build a stronger GBA foundation. Other organizations (the Office of the Auditor General, the Parliamentary Research Branch, and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Status of Women) required specific assistance in GBA, relevant to their mandate or specific initiatives. To determine the extent to which SWC is achieving the expected result through this Program Activity, a performance analysis was carried out for 2008–2009 with the following key findings:
 

Evidence of growing recognition of GBA as an important tool to integrate gender considerations in policy formulation, program development and service delivery (e.g. the recommendation for the Office of the Auditor General to conduct an audit of the implementation of GBA in federal institutions).
 

  • Evidence of increased interest among federal institutions in GBA as demonstrated by the growing demand for SWC assistance in the form of information, training, advice and expertise to develop GBA capacity.
     
  • With the sustained SWC efforts, Treasury Board Secretariat and the Privy Council Office have taken the initiative to develop their own GBA tools, resulting in increased knowledge of the subject in central agencies.
     
  • Increased number of GBA analysts (120 analysts by 2008–2009) in central agencies, leading to enhanced challenge function to strengthen accountability for gender equality within the federal government.
     

In 2008–2009, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women tabled a report on GBA entitled Towards Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Rising to the Challenge of Achieving Gender Equality. One of the recommendations in this report was for the Office of the Auditor General to conduct an audit on the implementation of GBA in federal organizations. The report of the Auditor General was tabled in June 2009 and will be reported on more fully in the 2009–2010 Departmental Performance Report. While it is too early to assess the impact of this recommendation, it is further evidence of SWC’s progress in promoting GBA within federal institutions.
 


Program Activity 2: Financial assistance for projects to improve social, economic and cultural outcomes for women
2008–2009
Financial Resources ($ millions) Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Total Actual Planned Actual Difference
spending authorities spending      
29.2 32.9 29.3 65 65 —
 
Expected Performance Targets Perfor- Performance
results indicators9   mance summary
      status  
  • Increased opportunities for women to participate fully in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada
 Proportion of funded projects that demonstrate level of women’s participation in their communities 10% of projects Met all More than 80% of the completed projects demonstrated results that showed increased awareness and knowledge acquisition among women in identifying barriers that impede their participation in society.10 With increased knowledge, there is evidence of women seeking further opportunities to become full participants in Canadian society.

Benefits for Canadians

In fulfilling its mandate, SWC seeks to achieve an enduring benefit for Canadians: strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada. This strategic outcome flows from the agency’s two Program Activities, which are designed to achieve enabling results (focused on public policies, programs and services) and empowering results (focused on women).

Through this Program Activity, SWC provides financial and professional assistance to projects at local, regional and national levels. These projects are diverse in nature and scope, target different groups, address a range of issues and apply a variety of strategies. The projects are designed to achieve results that demonstrate awareness, knowledge and skills acquired by women to identify and address barriers to their participation in society. The Program Activity is linked to the Government of Canada’s outcome, Economic Affairs.

In 2008–2009, SWC initiatives empowered women by providing them with the tools to identify, address and remove barriers to their full participation in Canadian society. These results will, in turn, contribute to SWC’s strategic outcome: strengthen the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada. Since 2007, SWC-funded projects have had a direct impact on more than 140,000 women and indirect impact on over 1.6 million in three key areas: women’s economic security and prosperity, violence against women and girls and women’s leadership and decision-making roles.
 

Performance Analysis

In 2008–2009, SWC continued to build on the results achieved through the organizational change process of the previous years to enhance the efficient delivery of its funding program. The examples below demonstrate continued efficiency in key Program areas:

  • Program reach:  SWC continued to broaden its reach with a total of 50 first-time applicants that received funding during the reporting year.
     
  • Project impact:  Since 2007, SWC-funded projects have had a direct impact on more than 140,000 women and indirect impact on over 1.6 million in three key areas.
     
  • Resources leveraged:  Through the WPF, SWC leveraged $378,275, in financial and in-kind contributions through collaborative projects completed in 2008–2009.

SWC has also achieved concrete results that demonstrate progress toward its strategic outcome. The following is a performance analysis for the reporting year, which demonstrates the achievement of the expected result for this Program activity.

In 2008–2009, SWC provided a total of $20,873,303 in grants and contributions to support 350 projects, 98 of which were completed last fiscal year. In addition to the completed projects, SWC also provided financial and professional assistance to 144 ongoing11 and 108 new12 projects. Of the total funding expended, 84 per cent came from the Women’s Community Fund (WCF) and 16 per cent from the Women’s Partnership Fund (WPF).

This three-dimensional pie chart shows the balance of spending between the Women’s Community Fund (about five sixths) and the Women’s Partnership Fund (about one sixth).
 

By using a sampling of the projects completed in 2008–2009, a performance analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which SWC is achieving its expected result and making progress toward its strategic outcome. Of the projects analysed, 50 per cent addressed issues related to women’s economic security and prosperity, 42 per cent violence against women and 8 per cent women’s leadership and decision-making roles. These projects targeted different groups, including Aboriginal women, immigrant women, single mothers and senior women. For example, in 2008–2009, a number of projects addressed issues pertaining to Aboriginal women, including economic security, violence and leadership roles. Through SWC-funded projects, Aboriginal women gained valuable work experience through voluntary assignments and were provided with opportunities to gain knowledge about cultural transmission, inter-generational communication, life and parenting skills and others. In an effort to address violence against Aboriginal women, SWC supported projects designed to inform Aboriginal women on ways to prevent abuse, violence and to increase their safety.

The degree to which the expected result of this Program Activity is achieved is demonstrated by the application of the knowledge acquired and skills developed by women to identify and remove barriers that impede their participation in society. Given that this is an intermediate result, it is expected that, at this level, targeted women would have acquired increased understanding to identify and address the barriers facing them. It is, therefore, demonstrated by attitudinal shifts, changes in practices and increased levels of participation by women in their communities. It should be noted, however, that this result is not entirely attributed to SWC given that its achievement can also be influenced by other factors.

The performance analysis shows that SWC is making gradual progress toward this result. The agency has exceeded its target,13 with 88 per cent of its completed projects having demonstrated raised awareness or knowledge acquisition among women in identifying and/or removing barriers to their participation in their communities. The qualitative results were also evident as women, equipped with new knowledge, skills and practices, sought further opportunities to become full participants in society. Performance reports submitted by funding recipients highlighted a number of success stories:

  • Employment:  women joined internship programs, found full-time or part-time jobs or were actively seeking employment opportunities. (e.g. Thęatre des petites lanternes – Quebec)
     
  • Training:  women enlisted in computer courses with local educational institutes, joined adult education programs, entered post-secondary studies and were pursuing independent job-related skill development activities. (e.g. Volunteer Action Centre of Thunder Bay Inc. – Ontario)
     
  • Community engagement:  project participants were involved in various community-based activities, volunteering for different organizations, sharing the knowledge and skills acquired through SWC-funded activities. (e.g. Cowichan Valley Intercultural and Immigrant Aid Society)
     
  • Accessing services:  project participants sought further assistance, including counselling, legal advice and other social services. (e.g. Aboriginal Women’s Association of PEI Inc.)
     
  • Peer support:  women who experience domestic violence have taken the initiative to form support mechanisms to exchange information, connect with each other, receive care and encouragement and participate in various social and educational activities. (e.g. Community Opportunity and Innovation Network – Ontario)

 

While the discussion above is focused on those indicators that demonstrate achievement of the expected result at the intermediate level, the following summary analysis demonstrates the achievement of two other short-term results and their contribution to the intermediate result.


Short-term result Performance indicator
Increased awareness among women in identifying and/or removing barriers to their participation in their communities Proportion of funded projects that demonstrate raised awareness or knowledge acquisition among women in identifying and/or removing barriers to their participation in their communities

 

The following is a highlight of the key indicators of the first short-term result:

  • Improving Women’s Economic Security and Prosperity:  In 2008–2009, 50 per cent of the projects completed focused on women’s economic security and prosperity. These projects were designed to give information, offer training, facilitate linkages, provide opportunities for work experience and carry out other activities. The objective was to equip women with the tools required to identify and address the barriers that impede their participation in this area. The immediate results achieved were demonstrated by: financial literacy, computer skills, increased knowledge of Canadian labour laws and policies, employability techniques, ability to use local supports and resources, access to education and/or training opportunities and using information about small businesses. For example:
     
    • immigrant women entering the labour market were: familiarized with Canadian labour laws and policies, informed about community services and tools that assist with integration, made aware of job finding techniques and linked with potential employers.
       
    • Aboriginal women seeking to enter the labour market gained work experience through voluntary assignments.
       
    • women interested in self-employment increased their knowledge about small businesses, including credit for women, developing business proposals and plans, marketing, fund-raising and access to mentors, capital, local resources and support programs.
       
  • Ending Violence Against Women and Girls:  In 2008–2009, 42 per cent of the projects completed addressed issues of violence against women and girls. The project activities ranged from information sessions to supporting women through skill development, to adapting models to serve the needs of diverse communities and exploring new and improved ways of services. The analysis for this Program Activity shows that SWC not only exceeded its target but also brought about demonstrable qualitative changes among targeted women, as highlighted below:
     
    • Women demonstrated increased knowledge about the causes and implications of violence, types of abuse, violence prevention, availability of and access to relevant services (e.g. counselling, legal advice, etc.), safety plans and others.
       
    • With increased awareness, women were able to seek and/or obtain assistance, such as professional counselling, legal advice on matters related to child custody, child support and property division.
       
    • Improvement of and access to services for women who experience violence, including testing therapies for survivors of sexual assault and abuse.
       
    • Culturally relevant workshop model adapted to help meet the needs of diverse communities in understanding and dealing with violence. 
  • Encouraging Women’s leadership and democratic participation:  In 2008–2009, SWC continued to support projects designed to increase the participation of women in politics, including municipal elections. These projects were designed to encourage women to become more actively engaged in both the democratic life of Canada as well as to assume leadership roles within the private sector and the community. For example:
     
    • Of the 94 project participants, 38 ran as candidates in their local municipal elections: 13 were elected, including one as mayor. (Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities)

 
The second short-term result is achieved through the WPF which supports collaborative projects that facilitate partnerships and leverage resources.


Short-term result Performance indicator
Increased collaboration with other federal departments, levels of government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Proportion of funded projects involving partners
 

In 2008–2009, six collaborative projects were completed, resulting in partnerships with: two federal departments, six provincial governments, four private companies and three non-governmental organizations. With the partnerships being developed through the WPF, SWC is gradually building a sense of ownership on women’s issues among Canadian institutions in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The following are examples of partnerships developed through the 2008–2009 collaborative projects:

  • During 2008–2009, some funding came from sections/divisions/branches of public institutions that address the advancement of women, such as the Women’s Policy Office of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, not only promoting horizontality within government, but also linking sections of government departments with similar objectives.
     
  • The collaboration between SWC and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (e.g. Inuit Gender-Based Analysis project) is an example of partnerships that extend beyond SWC’s financial assistance and lead to further activities and continued engagement on women’s issues. While the project began as a collaborative partnership with INAC and succeeded in laying a strong foundation, the third phase of the Inuit GBA project proceeded with funding from INAC.
     
  • Non-financial partnerships between Women’s Economic Equality Society (WEE) in Nova Scotia and community organizations allowed women to be informed about WEE, thereby providing them with opportunities to explore ways to participate in economic activities.
     

Through the WPF, SWC continues to increase the resources invested for gender equality and to diversify the sources of funding for projects that support the full participation of women in society. In 2008–2009, SWC succeeded in leveraging $378,275 in financial and in-kind contributions for WPF-funded projects that were completed during the reporting year. With the leveraged resources and SWC’s funding of $329,582, the agency succeeded in doubling the funds invested in collaborative projects.

Sisters in Spirit:  A sub-activity,14 Sisters in Spirit (SIS) is a five-year research, education and policy initiative designed to increase public knowledge and understanding about race and gender-based violence against Aboriginal women, which often leads to their disappearance or death. SWC administers the funds and plays monitoring, liaison and advisory roles, focusing on commitment to and support for strategic partnerships with federal departments. The initiative is being implemented by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC).

In 2008–2009, SWC joined NWAC in various SIS activities, including community engagement workshops and vigils, linking with the RCMP regarding trafficking risks to Aboriginal women, educating the international community about issues affecting Aboriginal women and sharing best practices. As part of its efforts to address the root causes of violence against Aboriginal women, SWC also participated in different interdepartmental groups, including: two Sub-Committees of the F/P/T Working Group on Aboriginal Justice (i.e. the F/P/T Subcommittee on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, the F/P/T Subcommittee on Healing); the Family Violence Initiative (FVI) Interdepartmental Working Group; the FVI Working Group on Aboriginal Family Violence and the Interdepartmental Working Group on Trafficking in Persons.

A formative evaluation of this initiative, completed in 2008–2009, shows that SIS has begun to build a strong case for its approach, laid a solid foundation for its continued work and has earned a good reputation based on its expertise and leadership. Some of the key SIS results are:

  • Evidence of increased public engagement on violence against Aboriginal women, as seen by the number of SIS vigils to raise awareness about missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. (40 vigils in 2008–2009 vs. 30 vigils in 2007–2008)
     
  • Increased media coverage, with 98 news articles and op-eds. on the subject, up from 53 references in 2007–2008 and 16 in 2006–2007. Further, a total of 127 interviews with NWAC focused on or made reference to SIS.
     
  • In 2008–2009, NWAC continued its partnerships and collaboration with several federal departments and agencies: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Justice Canada, Public Safety Canada, the RCMP and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.
Lessons Learned

This report shows that 2008–2009 was a period of continuing progress in terms of achieving expected results. However, the analysis has also identified challenges in key areas.

  • Database:  SWC has not yet implemented the recommendation to develop a database, following the summative evaluation of the Women’s Program. The agency is currently developing an in-house database which will improve its work in tracking funded projects, collecting and analyzing data and generating information for its decision-making as well as planning and reporting activities.
     
  • Formative evaluation:  The formative evaluation of the Women’s Program, scheduled for 2008–2009, was not carried out as planned. However, the agency was able to gather relevant information through a number of other activities that were conducted in 2007–2008. The review of a sampling of files in the Women’s Program was conducted for due diligence and availability of complete, accurate and current information on project implementation and outcomes. Also, a program impact review carried out during the reporting year provided important performance data to demonstrate the extent to which the agency is achieving its expected results.
     
  • Managing funding:  In 2008–2009, SWC sought approval to re-profile $2 million in contribution funding from fiscal year 2008–2009 into fiscal years 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 ($1 million each year). The purpose of re-profiling these contribution funds was to ensure that a number of key partnership projects, supported through the Women’s Partnership Fund, that required higher level of funding in future years, could be approved in 2008–2009.
     
  • In the spirit of the Transfer Payment Policy reform, the agency will continue to simplify information guides and forms to make the application process more efficient for organizations, thereby ensuring timely submission and approval of funding requests. The completion of the Women’s Program Risk Management Framework will also assist in managing high and low risks. It will also continue to provide professional assistance to organizations so that they are able to prepare proposals that meet its funding requirements and are aligned with its priorities. The agency also participated in the TBS-led process on grants and contributions reform and the renewal of key policies and practices.


Section III — Supplementary Information

3.1 Financial Highlights (in dollars)
 


Condensed statement of financial position at end of year (March 31, 2009)
  % 2009 2008
  Change    
ASSETS      
Financial assets –38% 61,193 98,279
Non-financial assets –3% 463,638 479,992
   Total Assets –9% 524,831 578,271
LIABILITIES      
   Total Liabilities 21%a 4,717,928 3,902,184
EQUITY      
   Total Equity 26% (4,193,097) (3,323,913)
TOTAL –9% 524,831 578,271


 
Condensed statement of financial position at end of year (March 31, 2009) (in dollars)
  % 2009 2008
  Change    
EXPENSES      
   Total Expenses 32% 33,818,263 25,619,514
REVENUES      
   Total Revenues –28% 145 202
NET COST OF OPERATIONS 32% 33,818,118 25,619,312
a  The sharp increase in SWC’s Expenses and Liabilities is due to the increase in authorities as per Budget 2007.

 

3.2 Financial Statements

The Financial Statements of SWC can be found in the agency’s website at:

http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/account-resp/pr/fin/08-2009-eng.html.

 

3.3 List of Supplementary Information Tables

The following supplementary information tables found in the 2008–2009 Departmental Performance Report can be found on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s website at:

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/2008-2009/index-eng.asp.

Table 1: User Fees/External Fees

Table 2: Details on Transfer Payment Programs (TPPs)

Table 3: Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits

Table 4: Internal Audits and Evaluations
 

3.4 Other Items of Interest

Corporate Services

In 2008–2009, SWC continued the process of modernizing its infrastructure and systems in order to provide senior management with more accurate and reliable information to facilitate effective decision-making, thereby meeting accountability requirements of the Government of Canada. Key departmental systems such as: the Network Operating software, security and suite of products, the Free Balance financial system and the Human Resource Information System were modernized. As well, departmental financial reporting and internal controls were improved to monitor compliance with departmental accountabilities.
 

Communications

As indicated in its Report on Plans and Priorities for 2008–2009, SWC enhanced its public affairs function in order to inform Canadians about its work and to respond to the increasing demand for information about gender-related subjects and government action on issues pertaining to women. As a result, in 2008–2009, SWC responded to an increased number of inquiries from the public and the media:

  • More than 40 per cent of the e-mails and over 30 per cent of telephone calls received were related to questions about SWC activities (e.g. International Women’s Day, Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case, the Women’s Program, etc.)
     
  • 10 per cent of the telephone calls and 12 per cent of e-mails were requests for information about gender-related subjects and the work of SWC.
     
  • The media made 7.3 per cent of the telephone calls and sent 5 per cent of the e-mails.
     
  • Individual women looking for assistance made almost 7 per cent of the phone calls and sent 5 per cent of the e-mails to the agency.

SWC was challenged to find innovative and effective methods to reach Canadians. This presented an ideal opportunity to rebrand and further develop SWC’s website, which had not been updated in recent years. With the goal of increasing SWC’s reach to Canadians, the new site was launched in December 2008 with the overall “common look-and-feel” theme for all Government of Canada websites.

In an effort to gain improved media coverage of Government of Canada achievements relating to women, SWC organized media events, showcasing projects that received support at local, regional and national levels. These events were publicized through media advisories and media releases. As a result, there has been increased media coverage of government activities related to gender equality.

Statutory Departmental Reports:

Status of Women Canada 2008–2009: Report on Plans and Priorities

Status of Women Canada 2007–2008 Departmental Performance Report
 

Contact Information:  For questions on financial information provided in this DPR, please contact:

Cindy Paquette
Corporate Services
Telephone: 613-947-1453
Fax: 613-947-6113
E-mail: Cindy.Paquette@swc-cfc.gc.ca
 

For other questions, please contact:

Ainalem Tebeje
Communications and Strategic Planning
Telephone: 613-995-1811
Fax: 613-943-2386
E-mail: Ainalem.Tebeje@swc-cfc.gc.ca
 

For other information, please visit the SWC website: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca.
 

 
Footnotes to the Report
 

1   As an analytical approach, GBA takes into account the socio-economic situation of women and men in diverse population groups in order to determine differential impacts, thus informing the decision-making process. This is also known as intersectionality.

2   The PAA for 2009–2010 has been modified and changes will be reported on in the next Departmental Performance Report.

3   These performance indicators and the target are found in the MRRS approved by TBS for 2008–2009.

4   For details, refer to “Benefits for Canadians” in Section II.

5   The 2008–2009 priorities have contributed to the agency’s SO through specific results: strategic partnerships with various players, increased departmental capacity in applying GBA, enhanced central agency role in ensuring accountability for gender equality, increased awareness among women in identifying and addressing barriers.

6   Labour Force Survey 2007.

7   Examples of initiatives currently in progress: i) Supplier Diversity Initiative with WEConnect, ii) Experiences Program with Equal Voice.

8   This result was not identified in the 2008–2009 RPP. However, the MRRS of the agency shows that it is one of the expected results under Program Activity: Strategic policy advice and partnerships.

9   This performance indicator is found in the MRRS approved by TBS for 2008–2009.

10  The performance of SWC in 2008–2009 is comparatively similar to that of 2007–2008 in terms of the percentage of projects that succeeded in achieving the expected results.

11  These projects, approved in previous fiscal years, were under implementation during the reporting year.

12  These projects were approved in 2008–2009 and are currently being implemented.

13  10 per cent of funded projects that demonstrate level of women’s participation in their communities.

14  The expected result of this sub-activity is: engagement and support of other government departments in strategic partnerships on issues relating to human rights of Aboriginal women in the area of violence.