Karen Mackenzie
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 5, 2007

NUNAVUT - Northern women are now at the helm of a national coalition of women's groups.

Stephanie Williams, acting executive director of the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women, and Sharon Thomas, executive director of the Northwest Territories Status of Women Council, are the new co-chairs of the Coalition of Advisory Councils on the Status of Women.

Stephanie Williams, acting executive director of the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women, will co-chair the national Coalition of Women's Advisory Councils with her Northwest Territories counterpart, Sharon Thomas. - Karen Mackenzie/NNSL photo

"There are a lot of different issues that come up, but really what it comes down to is women and their families. At the end of the day we're all working towards the same thing," Williams said.

The group, which is a collaboration of nine provincial and territorial advisory councils, met in Ottawa recently to discuss both regional work and national issues.

It was decided there that Thomas and Williams would be charged with organizing and chairing next year's meeting, which will likely take place in late 2008.

"It was a quick glance across the table, and that was that," Williams said with a laugh.

The annual get-togethers are an opportunity to highlight challenges facing women across Canada, but this year should also provide an opportunity for Nunavummiut to strengthen their ties with the neighbouring territory, she added.

"We really hope to work closely between Nunavut and the NWT, because so many of the issues are similar," agreed Thomas.

Some of the issues both groups hope to address are housing and child care, family violence, addictions, and the need for co-ordinated regulations and enforcements among the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada.

"We're also hoping that Nunavummiut women will be able to travel to the Northwest Territories over the next year, because we have a lot of exciting stuff going on," Thomas said.

The chairs plan to invite the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women to the 2008 meeting.