STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND JUSTICE Hansard Verbatim Report No. 3 — April 27, 2021 Published under the authority of The Hon. Randy Weekes Speaker Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan Twenty-Ninth Legislature Hansard on the Internet Hansard and other documents of the Legislative Assembly are available within hours after each sitting. https://www.legassembly.sk.ca/Calendar STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND JUSTICE Mr. Mark Docherty, Chair Regina Coronation Park Ms. Betty Nippi-Albright, Deputy Chair Saskatoon Centre Mr. Gary Grewal Regina Northeast Mr. Travis Keisig Last Mountain-Touchwood Ms. Lisa Lambert Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood Mr. Tim McLeod Moose Jaw North Mr. Greg Ottenbreit Yorkton STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND JUSTICE 21 April 27, 2021 [The committee met at 16:00.] wide range of topics, including two major portfolios: women’s economic security, participation, and prosperity; and The Chair: — All right. Good to go? Welcome to the Standing interpersonal violence and abuse. The two go hand in hand, as Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice. I’m Mark without economic participation and prosperity, there is a lack of Docherty. I’m the Chair. With us this evening are Gary Grewal, options and therefore a lack of security. Travis Keisig, Greg Ottenbreit. And substituting, we’ve got Jennifer Bowes, who’s substituting for Ms. Betty Nippi-Albright, As all of us in this room are all well aware, this pandemic has Nadine Wilson for Lisa Lambert, and Todd Goudy for Mr. Tim affected everyone in more ways than we could ever imagine. The McLeod. impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women in multiple ways, which this government recognizes and is determined to General Revenue Fund mitigate. We know that women are at the highest risk of Parks, Culture and Sport experiencing interpersonal violence and abuse, and those Vote 27 numbers are even higher if a woman is Indigenous, black, a woman of colour, or has a disability. And this is why enhancing Subvote (PC01) security through interpersonal violence and abuse initiatives, including those related to gender-based violence, is important The Chair: — Today we’ll be resuming our consideration of the work that the Status of Women office and our partnering estimates for Parks, Culture and Sport, and then we’ll have a ministries continue to be engaged in. recess and we’ll consider the estimates for Tourism Saskatchewan. We’ll begin our consideration of vote 27, Parks, In fact just this past year, the Status of Women office entered into Culture and Sport, central management and services, subvote a partnership with the ministries of Justice and Attorney General, (PC01). Minister Ross is here with her official. Minister, please and Corrections, Policing and Public Safety to bring forward an introduce your officials and make your opening comments. awareness campaign on interpersonal violence and abuse. This campaign stretched across the province and was translated into Hon. Ms. L. Ross: — Well thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Cree, Dene, and French to ensure it reached as many I’m pleased to be here today to answer questions related to the Saskatchewan residents as possible. estimates for the Status of Women office. First I would like to start with introductions, followed by some brief remarks. The The goal of the campaign was to start the conversation. It features officials joining me in person today are Mari Petroski, executive three strong women from diverse backgrounds and asks director of the Status of Women office; Carter Zazula, my chief Saskatchewan residents to stop the excuses for engaging in or of staff. Virtually we have Twyla MacDougall, deputy minister supporting perpetuating violence and abuse. Viewers were of the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport; Jackie directed to a website called Face the Issue and provided with Demerse-Abbasi, director, Status of Women office; Brooke resources, statistics, and facts about these complex topics. The Lochbaum, executive director of marketing and campaign did start conversations on social media and hopefully communications; and Ty Symenuk, my communication in homes across our province where incidents of interpersonal ministerial assistant. violence and abuse often takes place behind closed doors. Putting a spotlight on this topic and bringing it from behind closed doors Thank you, everyone, for being here today. As I mentioned to the public sphere helps to shift attitudes and norms that during the estimates for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, perpetuate violence in our communities and shows that ending our government is working to protect, build, and grow violence is everyone’s responsibility. Saskatchewan and to ensure a strong economic recovery. I’m encouraged to see this campaign continue as there is still a I am pleased to present you with the work of the Status of Women lot of work to do. The Status of Women office will keep working office, an office focused on ensuring the protection of all with their partners to advance this conversation and campaign. women’s rights in Saskatchewan. The Status of Women office Our government’s justice budget also included a total of 22 moved to the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport this year and million for interpersonal violence awareness and support with the connection between the two has been strong. The importance new initiatives including 800,000 to respond to interpersonal of gender equity is paramount, no matter which ministry they are violence, including support for the public awareness campaign; a part of. creation of a 24-7 interpersonal violence and abuse provincial call line; family intervention rapid support teams to allow The Status of Women office is a Government of violence intervention workers to operate alongside police; Saskatchewan-wide entity that acts as a catalyst to ensure gender expansion of the victims’ advocate case review initiative; and is taken into consideration in government programs, legislation, transportation for survivors and their children fleeing from and policy making. The office bridges connections and brings violence. attention to issues impacting all women in Saskatchewan, and they do this through creating strong partnerships with diverse Besides the campaign, the office invested 34,000 in making groups and agencies. The Status of Women office gathers domestic violence in the workplace training available online and information and provides insight and direction to leaders so accessible by employees and employers across the province. The thoughtful decisions can be made and meaningful change can Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of happen. Saskatchewan, also known as PATHS, is leading the way on this initiative and hopes to have it completed sometime in the fall of Given that the mandate of the office is women, they focus on a this year. This training is in response to the introduction of five 22 Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice Committee April 27, 2021 days’ paid leave legislation. Many employers asked for the working with Innovation Saskatchewan, Trade and Export training in order to provide their employees with the skills and Development, and Immigration and Career Training to identify tools needed to address domestic violence in the workplace. ways of advancing the recommendations of the WESK [Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan] advisory committee paper, a paper I am pleased to report that the Status of Women office has been resourced by the Status of Women office and released in July able to support PATHS and their continued important work in 2020. this area. In 2019 the Status of Women office, along with the Justice and Attorney General and Corrections, Public Safety and Partnerships are also how the Status of Women office identifies Policing, provided funding to the Sexual Assault Services of what work is of priority for the community. The office has many Saskatchewan to pilot the victims’ advocate case review with the strong connections. Whether they are working on the Resolve Regina Police Service and the Regina Sexual Assault Centre. We Saskatchewan advisory board or attending a STOPS to Violence are pleased to say that the final report was received in January of [Saskatchewan Towards Offering Partnership Solutions to this year and the pilot was a success. Due to the success, the Violence] collective impact meeting, they are always connected. project will continue to move forward into other locations across Saskatchewan. An important connection the office made a few years ago is with the Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan. The centre As previously stated, safety and security is aligned to economic is led by two strong Indigenous women who are creating participation. Our government recognizes the importance and programs and services that are geared towards supporting impact of women’s participation in the economy. The Status of Indigenous women and children all across Saskatchewan. Women office has committed itself to being a lead resource in advocating for women in our province’s economic growth, and [16:15] empowering women could not be more relevant than right now. A lot of progress has been made, but COVID-19 brought a The Status of Women office has invested 47,000 in their spotlight to the inequities that women experience. community-led project, Honouring Her Spark, a project aimed at supporting Indigenous women in Saskatchewan by addressing The Status of Women office has strengthened and grown in their barriers and root causes of issues impacting them. This project ability to support internal and external stakeholders in aims to create further opportunities for participation in the developing programs and services aimed at building the economy, culture, and access to traditional knowledge, healing, economy through women’s economic prosperity. The office has and learning. been investing in areas that showcase the important contributions that women make to communities across Saskatchewan and their The important work of these organizations in leading community capacity to grow Saskatchewan’s economy.