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News Releases
June 17, 1999
SECRETARY OF STATE FRY TO ATTEND APEC WOMEN LEADERS' NETWORK MEETING IN WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
OTTAWA -- The Honourable Hedy Fry, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) will attend the APEC Women Leaders' Network (WLN) Meeting, to be held June 20 to 23 in Wellington, New Zealand. The theme of this fourth WLN meeting is "Women in APEC: Our Contribution to Economic Prosperity." The WLN, an alliance of women leaders from a diverse range of sectors across the region, has been instrumental in advancing the status of women in APEC since 1996.
"Promoting the integration of women in APEC is a priority for Canada," said Dr. Fry. "As half of our intellectual and economic resource pool, women, in all of their diversity, represent a significant force in shaping the region's future. We underutilize the talents of too many women at a cost, and we ignore the unique challenges that women face in times of economic change and recovery at our peril."
Last October, in Manila, Philippines, the first-ever APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women took place. Canada initiated the idea for the meeting, which recognized that women can and must play a vital role in the economy and trade, and that the financial crisis has had a disproportionate impact on women. Recommendations coming out of the Ministerial meeting were accepted by APEC Leaders at their meeting last November in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One of the key recommendations ' A Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC ' is currently under development by a special APEC Task Force.
"Canada's leadership in integrating gender into APEC reflects our growing recognition of the human face of economic development," said Dr. Fry. "If our objectives for renewed confidence, growth and prosperity are to be achieved, we must strengthen the link between economic security and human security. We must draw upon our most valuable asset -- our people."
Dr. Fry will be accompanied by a group of Canadian women in business, government and academia, including four aboriginal businesswomen exporters who will attend the WLN meeting and participate in an Indigenous Women in Exporting Business Seminar. The Seminar will identify the unique challenges and contributions of indigenous businesswomen exporters and how these might be better reflected in public policy throughout the region.
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