Series GR-3563 - Records of the Deputy Minister of Women’s Programs and the Executive Director of the Women’s Secretariat

The series consists of memos, correspondence, reports, briefing notes, and conference proceedings created between 1982 and 1989. Although the records were held in the custody of the Assistant Deputy Minister of Women’s Programs, they consist of the records of both the Deputy Minister, Isabel Kelly, and the Assistant Deputy Minister, Christine Bullen. Bullen also served as the Executive Director of the Women’s Secretariat (Ministry of Advanced Education and Job Training).

The series documents the relationship between BC ministers responsible for the status of women and their counterparts in other provinces. The series consists of several conference packages from meetings of federal, provincial, and territorial representatives. The conference packages often provide evidence of British Columbia’s stance on federally-discussed matters.

The records provide evidence of government actions surrounding issues deemed to be priorities, and many records include backgrounders and recommendations. The series also documents milestones and accomplishments of the Women’s Secretariat. The series provides evidence of the range of available programs and funding solutions. Many records provide recommendations for action on certain issues, such as childcare, women in the workforce, and spousal abuse. Correspondence documents the support that the Minister Responsible for Women’s Programs provided to other BC government ministries in the form of lunch-and-learns and workshops for provincially-employed women on topics such as “Improving your writing” and “Street-smarting your kids.”

Container 911767-0037 also includes generic provincial government administrative handbooks, directories and guidelines.

Many of the conference proceedings booklets were originally in binders. These have been placed in acid-free folders. Some reports in container 911767-0042 are in French. The records are covered by the Executive Records schedule (schedule 102906.)