MLA’s new job: Ensuring gender equity in government
The MLA for Esquimalt Metchosin has been appointed to a new role that aims to prevent government policies from disadvantaging women and transgender people.
Mitzi Dean, former executive director of Pacific Centre Family Services Association, is the new parliamentary secretary for gender equity, Premier John Horgan announced Thursday.
Dean is tasked with ensuring gender equity is reflected in government budgets, policies and programs; working across ministries and with feminist and women’s organizations to tackle gender violence and gender issues; and improving women’s economic empowerment by promoting leadership in the public and private sector.
She will also track progress on the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Dean said a major priority will be working with vulnerable groups such as Indigenous women, transgender people and people who are gender nonbinary and victims of domestic violence.
“We need to prioritize areas where women are being particularly disadvantaged, where policy decisions are enhancing the vulnerability of women or the inability of women to be able to provide safe and secure families and look after their children,” Dean told the Times Colonist.
The NDP is following through on its election promise to provide affordable child care across the province, she said. “[Child care] is a gender issue and it can disadvantage women, and so I’m looking forward to the budget speech next week.”
Dean, who sat on the regional violence against women in relationships committee, said collaboration with police agencies and social service agencies is key.
She will serve under the direction of Finance Minister Carole James.
Horgan said Dean’s experience makes her “uniquely qualified” for the position.
“Mitzi Dean has devoted her career to justice, fairness and support for the most vulnerable,” he said in a statement.