Summary

Over the last five years women have benefited less and less from CMTP relative to the proportion of women in the labour force.

As the numbers and proportion of women in the post-secondary education system have been steadily increasing, CEIC sponsorship of women's training has been decreasing. CEIC's espousal of priority commitment to the training of women is obviously not confirmed by the facts.

With the establishment of the National Training Act and its accompanying program, there is every reason to expect that women's portion of CMTP funds will decrease markedly. The designation of almost exclusively male occupations as national occupations earmarked for concentration of training funds, plus the absence of an affirmative action program tied to training funds almost ensures the exclusion of women from participation in the major thrust of CMTP.

Adult Basic Education

It is impossible to ascertain yet, the full impact on ABE programs of the National Training Program. In light of the steady decrease in CMTP sponsorship of ABE programs, community colleges in many parts of the country have been cutting - back on the numbers of ABE spaces available.

At present, no level of government in Canada accepts responsibility for adult literacy and basic education. As a result, the illiterate and under-educated adult in this country has few resources to turn to in urban areas and has none , in smaller communities. There are 4,376,000 adult Canadians who have less than grade 9 education and are considered functionally illiterate.

The functional illiteracy rate for Canada from the 1976 Census was 25.5% for women over 15 years and 26.3% for man. It was higher in rural areas than urban, relative to population size.

It is our contention that responsibility for ABE most appropriately lies provincially and with Ministries of Education. We urge that Ministries of Education accept this responsibility and implement programs to address the needs of this large portion of Canadian adults.

Re-entry Women

Women's participation in the labour force has increased dramatically since the second world war. The active labour force is now 42% female. A parallel and even more dramatic influx of women has occurred in the post-secondary education system. Both phenomenon reflect the changing nature of women's role in this society and a movement from women's involvement, almost exclusively in the domestic sphere, to involvement in the economic sphere, a previously male domain. (Zimmerman)

Although women's participation has increased in all age groups, the greatest growth has occurred for women in the 24-44 age range, typically identified as the child-bearing years. Substantial growth has also occurred in the 45-64 age range.

Women's participation in the labour force and education systems typically involves two phases: one prior to marriage and childbirth and one following a period of work in the home raising children. The second phase is the 're-entry" phase and is a process facilitated or hindered by a variety of factors. The societal norm for labour force participation is the male norm which does not allow for absence from the labour force part way through a career for purposes of engaging in an activity (child raising) which is not considered career enhancing. There is little recognition therefore, that re-entry is a process of transition from the domestic to the economic sphere, and there are few services and facilities to assist those engaged in that process.