Speaking Notes for the Honourable Helena Guergis, P.C., M.P., Minister of State (Status of Women) at the International Alliance for Women (TIAW) 2008 Annual Global Partnership Forum "Creating the Conditions for Women's Success"

Toronto, Ontario
Monday, November 10, 2008

Check against delivery

Introduction

Let me begin by offering a warm Canadian welcome to the many delegates who have travelled here from other countries. 

As the newly appointed Minister of State (Status of Women), I am so pleased to have this opportunity to meet with women from all around the world.   I applaud the International Alliance for Women's work to connect more than 50,000 women worldwide, and I thank you for inviting me to your 2008 Annual Global Partnership Forum.

As the former Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) and a former small business owner myself, I am very much aware of the potential for women as leaders in the global economy.

In the recent federal elections here and in the United States, issues of women, leadership and economic success were front and centre.

Today I will talk with you about the place of governments and other partners in creating the conditions for women's success and economic prosperity in both domestic and global marketplaces.  I'll also talk about Status of Women Canada's contributions to Canada's future economic prosperity and productivity.

Leadership, Trade and Business - Counting Women In

Micro enterprises are increasingly recognized as important contributors to our communities, our societies and our economies, in Canada, internationally, and in virtually every trading forum.  Interestingly, a recent multi-nation study showed that Canadian women are among the most entrepreneurial of the member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Here in Canada, women entrepreneurs are seizing the day, using their talents, skills and hard work to significantly impact our economy.  In fact, statistics show that nearly half of all Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises have at least one female owner, and that since 1997, on average, women have started small- and medium-sized businesses at twice the rate of men.

Despite the impressive rates of business start-up, women-owned businesses remain significantly smaller, less profitable and less likely to grow compared to those owned by men.

While an abundance of programs exist to support small business, few can offer access to the markets and opportunities they need to develop their business beyond subsistence levels.  The challenges are even greater for micro-enterprises operated by Aboriginal women, immigrant women, rural women, women with disabilities and women living in poverty.

Only through improved access to markets and opportunities will we see these enterprises play active, important roles in the economy.  For women-owned businesses, this means literally creating the conditions for their success.

According to a recent Royal Bank of Canada study, if women in Canada had the same opportunities and labour market circumstances as men, the following would happen:

• personal incomes would be $168 billion higher;
• an additional 1.6 million women would be employed in Canada; and
• the gross domestic product would increase by 21 per cent.

These are compelling statistics and they are supported by World Bank figures related to the Millennium Development Goals.   

Creating the Conditions for Women's Success

When women are prevented from full participation, the economies of their countries - and indeed, the world - lose out.  Thus, there is an urgent need for new strategies and approaches at the structural level.  Certainly, non-governmental organizations, such as the International Alliance for Women, can play an important role, as can other fora.

Canada must be positioned to keep pace with new competitive realities, such as growing global competition and the emergence of new economic players.¹  These new realities underscore the need for our economy to be knowledge based, the critical role of inward and outward investment in generating economic activity and wealth, the need for Canada to be a key part of the North American Platform, and the need for Canada to increase its efforts to secure trade agreements.²

For example, the Women Leaders Network (WLN) is a pivotal body that advises APEC Leaders on gender issues and ensures women are considered in the development of policies and perspectives.  The WLN links more than 400 women leaders from the 21 APEC economies.  Several are Canadian and some are here today.

Status of Women Canada's Role

Status of Women Canada works closely with its governmental, non-governmental and private sector partners to create the conditions for success for women and girls.

For example, Status of Women Canada is working with its partners in exploring some way in which Canadian women business owners can obtain certification as "majority women-owned businesses."  Certification of this kind would be very useful to women business owners.  With certification comes access both to Fortune 500 supply chains through their supplier diversity programs, and to multi-billion dollar opportunities in the United States.

And that's what it's all about - access to the opportunities.  A level playing field.  Women entrepreneurs do not want to be treated differently from their male counterparts.  After all, women know they've got the talent, skill and work ethic to build success into their businesses, just as men do.

But in reality, many women entrepreneurs may face obstacles or they may experience unfair treatment.  For example, in 2005, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) reported that 41 per cent of women small business owners say they are taken less seriously than men.³

While the pace of growth has slowed in business sectors traditionally occupied by women, such as sales, hospitality and clerical fields, we need to encourage and support women in moving to other, non-traditional sectors.

What helps a great deal is women's growing involvement in trade associations and in organizations like the TIAW.  Membership in these kinds of organizations brings tremendous networking opportunities, as well as business contacts, and inspiration based on information sharing and the success of others.⁴

Government of Canada Initiatives

Recognizing the cost of women's untapped potential, the Government of Canada is working to remove obstacles to women's entrepreneurship, particularly in the area of trade with other nations.  Such obstacles can be as basic as red tape or as daunting as a lack of familiarity with foreign markets and the regulations that govern them.

Similarly, businesswomen in other countries face obstacles in negotiating the unfamiliar business landscape of Canada.  The federal government is working to link women business owners within Canada and in other countries.

Last January, in my capacity as Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade), I led a trade mission of Canadian businesswomen to Jamaica and Barbados.  This highly successful mission demonstrated the value of face-to-face engagement.

There is also great potential in virtual engagement and the Government of Canada is helping to connect women entrepreneurs through its Businesswomen in Trade web site, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Conclusion

Women are proven leaders in their families, their workplaces and their communities.

By creating the conditions for their success and prosperity, we ensure more and more women will take the leap into leadership roles in business, trade and all other areas of the economy.

Organizations like the TIAW provide fertile ground for women entrepreneurs, whether they are getting started or are in the full bloom of success.  I therefore applaud your work and wish you every success during this very powerful and visionary conference.   Thank you.

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