Further, the AOT Act includes a "one-year rule" which states (in varying forms from various sources) that:

" ... trainees must have spent one year in the work force before becoming eligible for a federally-sponsored training course" ^l

"... adults must have been out of school for any twelve consecutive months preceding registration in a training program.²

"... (the rule) serves to make a useful distinction between the clients of provincial education systems and the adult workers for whom the AOT Act was introduced."³

The underlying assumptions appear to suggest that women should have previously been in the labour force. Note that housekeeping and parenting are not considered as activities which put a woman in the labour force, unless she does it for a wage for an unrelated family. Therefore, the woman who has never worked but who has raised several children may, or then again may not, be eligible for a training program. Such a decision is at the discretion of individual CMC counselors.

The AOT Act also specifies two "52-week rules". The first limits a trainee to 52 weeks of academic upgrading and/or language training; the second to 52 weeks of occupational training. The limit on academic upgrading is particularly hard for women since the occupations which are traditional for them often require relatively higher academic attainment levels and lead to relatively well-paid jobs, or require no particular academic level and lead to minimum wage, unskilled jobs. Occupations which are traditional for men can often be entered with a minimum of education through the apprenticeship system. These occupations provide wages above minimum levels and may even involve further training through CMITP programs.

^l. The Hon. D. D. Everett (Chair.), "Report of the Standing Senate Committee of National Finance on Canada Manpower: 1975". (Ottawa: Government of Canada, 1976), p. 80

^2.The Hon. Marc Lalonde, Minister of Health and Welfare, "Report of the Advisory Council on the Status of Women: 1975" (Ottawa: Advisory Council on the Status of Women, 1975), p. 37

^3. CEIC, "The Canada Manpower Training Program: A policy review, 1977" (Ottawa: CEIC, 1977), pp. 8 - 9.