Four National Women's Groups: CCLOW · CFWEC · CRIAW · NOIVMWC

The best way to fund training for women is through Consolidated Revenues, which are not specifically linked to Unemployment Insurance or social assistance programs. Unfortunately, training funds available through the Consolidated Revenues Fund have been cut by almost 50% since 1989. One impact of these cuts has been that re-entry programs for women have almost disappeared, although 60% of new labour market entrants are women and labour market poverty among women is rapidly increasing.

The Green Paper suggests that sectoral councils may become key coordinators of funding resources, but funneling training resources through sectoral councils will exclude many women from training, because they are not yet in the labour market, or they work in jobs which are not under the jurisdiction of sector councils. Equitable representation of women, including women who are Aboriginal, visible minority, immigrant or refugee or who have disabilities is essential in decision-making bodies, such as local or regional labour force development boards and sectoral councils. Training initiatives need to be supported by:

• a set of comprehensive principles and standards for training which apply across jurisdictional boundaries,

• recognition of models and best practices for effective training,

• provision of supports such as child care, financial assistance, counselling, accommodation for people with disabilities and access to instruction in either French or English,

• adequate and fair allocation of training resources.

CCLOW has developed a set of principles for training which includes the following: :

Equity: In addition to ensuring gender equity in training programs and in allocation of resources to training, pay equity and employment equity are key requirements here.

Access: Barriers to both educational and economic opportunities must be removed, so that everyone has access to the resources necessary to meet basic needs and to live with dignity.

Lifelong Learning: Women need different training opportunities at different points in their lives, depending on personal circumstances and economic opportunity.

Diversity and Inclusiveness: Discrimination on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, ethnicity, class, ability or sexual orientation is unacceptable.