The biggest cultural development of the summer could be an impending cabinet shuffle, said to be in the works for next week.
The President of the Native Women's Association of Canada is hoping to walk away from a meeting with the premiers today, armed with a financial committment.
President Jacobs says, "Although, only two hours are set aside for the meeting, what will be discussed could prove paramount to moving the Aboriginal agenda forward in areas such as health care, violence prevention, and economic and social development."
"Following the Health Summit in B.C., the Economic Summit hosted by Saskatchewan and more recently, the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, there is no doubt we are all aware of the issues. Now is the time to act on the recommendations, but we can’t do it without a solid commitment from all provinces and territories," adds President Jacobs.
First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders are heading into discussions united and with a goal of working in partnership with premiers as Canada’s Aboriginal peoples can no longer wait for action.
LINK: NWAC
A man who gets angry at work may well be admired for it but a woman who shows anger in the workplace is liable to be seen as "out of control" and incompetent, according to a new study.
This research, conducted by Victoria Brescoll, who is a post-doctoral scholar at Yale University, will be presented at the annual meeting of the research and teaching organization, Academy of Management.
To do this research, Brescoll had her study participants watch videos of men and women job candidates who used the same or similar scripts and she asked them to estimate each candidate's salary and status.
As Gloria Steinem once said, "The truth will set you free . . . but first it will piss you off." Here's to truth, freedom, and a little righteous anger.
LINK: Washington Post
LINK: Scientific American
Bell Canada worker Hayley Cole claimed her employer did not accommodate her need for a work schedule so she could breastfeed her infant. Physicians had recommended the infant, who has a congenital heart defect, be breastfed as long as possible to strengthen his immune system. Cole’s request to end her day 1 hr earlier (unpaid) was denied. Her request for a guaranteed 4pm end of shift was eventually granted for one year but she had to provide medical documentation requiring repeated visits to her doctor.
Collecting Child Care stories
Saskatchewan MP and Parliamentary Secretary Lynne Yelich has announced that she is collecting personal stories from women regarding their childcare experiences for use in a parliamentary debate of care for children in the fall.
Goldman Sachs, the investment bankers, not usually known for their radical positions, have clearly identified the economic and social importance of helping women balance paid work with children. Quebec has made considerable headway in this area. The coming debate in the House of Commons needs to hear your views too.
Send a brief summary of your experience (at-home parent, grandparent, tag-team, home-school, nanny, dayhome, daycare or other circumstance) to kenastonmp@sasktel.net .
Related: "A third-wave feminist legal agenda would include child-care issues"
No To Polygamy
After studying the evidence of polygamy and sexual exploitation of minors in Bountiful, a community in southeastern British Columbia, a special prosecutor retained by the province says the chances of convicting anyone are weak. Instead, he is recommending to Attorney-General Wally Oppal that the province ask the B.C. Court of Appeal for an advisory opinion on whether the Criminal Code offence of polygamy can withstand a constitutional challenge.
Women Bloggers
Despite Pew research reporting that women are actually 50% of all people who blog, corporate journalists and independent bloggers alike often prefer to fall back on the hand-wringing question, “Where are the women bloggers?” They’d know the answer if they took the time to seek us out as news sources, read our commentaries or cover events such as BlogHer.
Angel Street
Iqaluit's new 'Angel Street' remembers domestic violence victims... to commemorate victims of violence was suggested to Iqaluit city council by provincialand territorial ministers responsible for the status of women, when they ... www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/08/03/iqa-angel.html - 35k - 2007-08-03"We thought it'd be appropriate to name a street that's going towards our women's shelter in memory of those that have either died or have been abused," Iqaluit Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik said in an interview.
Two Vancouver lawyers will launch a constitutional challenge today of Canada's prostitution laws, arguing they force sex workers into unsafe conditions and infringe a sex worker's right to freedom of expression."The prostitution laws . . . subject sex workers to increased risk of physical and sexual violence, psychological injury, kidnapping and death," says a statement of claim to be filed in B.C. Supreme Court."
On April 26, Mike Penner wrote what he thought would be the toughest article of his career. "I am a transsexual sportswriter. It has taken more than 40 years, a million tears and hundreds of hours of soul-wrenching therapy for me to work up the courage to type those words." The piece ran in the Sports section, next to his regular column.
Conservative government propaganda being distributed to Canada's families is covering up broken child care promises and cutbacks of income support for families of young children, said Liberal Social Development Critic Ruby Dhalla.
"An insert, recently mailed out by the federal government to families who receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit, is Conservative double-speak at its most mean-spirited and hypocritical," said Ms. Dhalla.
The document informs Canadians that the Canada Child Tax Benefit families receive will no longer be impacted by the child care expenses that families claim because the supplement for children under age 7 "will no longer be a component of the CCTB calculation."
"The only reason this is true is because the Conservative government has completely eliminated the Young Child Supplement. It is extremely dishonest to dress up a broken promise not to touch the Canada Child Tax Benefits and spending cuts to income support for families in need . This government's conduct is disgraceful," said Ms. Dhalla.
The Young Child Supplement of the Canada Child Tax Benefit provided up to $20.25 monthly to parents who did not claim child-care expenses for their preschool-age children.
"The cancellation of the Young Child Supplement was an ideological decision by this Conservative government to take away benefits from low-and middle-income families in order to pay for the Universal Child Care Benefit.
"The Conservative government has received failing grades from families and child care experts for its failure to deliver new child care spaces and for its paltry, taxable child care benefit. Parents do not need propaganda, cover-ups and lies. They need viable, affordable child care solutions," said Ms. Dhalla.
LINK: Liberals
Canadian Federation of University Woman (CFUW) will have more than 45 members attending the conference.
Working families, students, people living on social assistance and unemployed people have been waiting three decades for quality early learning and child care. This Labour Day, let’s send a strong message: we can’t wait any longer.
CUPE’s national child care working group is encouraging locals to make child care a visible issue this Labour Day in parades, on floats, at picnics and other events.
The working group has developed some easy and creative ideas to help make this happen. Use these suggestions as a springboard to a successful Labour Day event, adding your own ideas to suit your members and community. With just over a month to go before Sept. 3, now’s the time to get organized.
LINK: CUPE
Workaholism is deeply rooted in labour-movement culture.
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