Women in Huron County Lose Help

The executive director of Women Today of Huron says cutbacks to the Status of Women will make it very difficult for women's groups to access federal funding.

Pam Hannington says describing a project in terms of accountability and measurable progress that the federal government requires is not easy. But she says that's what staff at the Status of Women office in London did for women in Huron County.

Hannington says once the cuts have been made, the closest office will be in Ottawa and staff across the country will be reduced to twelve people. She says the workload will be tremendous and a lot of women's groups will be left to fend for themselves.

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Oda says: Savings mean more direct money for Canadian women

By Bev OdaThe Hamilton Spectator(Dec 21, 2006)

It is important to be clear on the recent changes Canada's new government has made to Status of Women Canada (SWC) and the benefits this will bring to women across the country.

Canada's new government was elected because of its promise to deliver value for taxpayer dollars........

........We did not streamline SWC to return $5 million to government coffers. We streamlined SWC to deliver $5 million more in programming for women in Canada.

What's New at statusreport.ca ?

• OAITH writes Harper
• MB Status of Women Minister writes Oda
• Interpares writes Harper
• Oxfam writes Oda
• Cdn Women's Foundation writes Harper

Visit statusreport.ca a website created to provide background on Status of Women Canada (SWC) and related issues.

At statusreport.ca you will find objective information about the federal agency, along with tools and motivation for people to lobby the federal Conservatives to revisit changes made to the agency's funding and objectives.

Conservative cuts to funding of women's groups are short-sighted

The words "equality," "advocacy" and "action" were quietly removed from the Terms and Conditions of the SWC mandate, and from various SWC documents, such as its website - a chilling process that attempts to change history.

The tactic was borrowed from the Bush administration's handling of women's organizations in the U.S. Oda also eliminated virtually all funding for research, and made it impossible for women's organizations involved in advocating or lobbying governments to be eligible for SWC money. At the same time, Oda made for-profit organizations eligible for SWC funding.

What does this mean? It means that if Shell or Microsoft or Bell want to start a trainee program for women, they might get taxpayer money to do so, but regional, provincial/territorial or national women's organizations that deal daily with Canadian women and families on issues of violence or health or poverty can no longer get government funding from SWC for research. Nor can they educate government officials or policymakers with their knowledge and experience.

The Harper government has made a serious miscalculation if it believes that Canadians consider equality - women's or anyone's - and advocating for equality issues, a partisan or an ideological issue. Grassroots women's organizations employ a host of women and men with various political leanings, and work for communities that vote for all political parties.

Equality is a Canadian value, not an ideological option. Advocating for equality to improve public programs is not partisan, but simply good public policy. And funding organizations (a pittance) to educate our elected officials through both research and experience can only benefit all Canadians, and ensure the most efficient delivery of services to all regions.

Montreal Gazette (subscription) - Montreal,Quebec,Canada Read the entire article at status report.ca

MPtv - Dawn Black on cuts

MPtv presents a video recorded on Parliament Hill featuring an interview with Dawn Black MP discussing women's rights and recent federal government program funding cuts to the Status of Women. Includes Bev Oda footage.

Video is 9:35 - click on image to view

Edited Evidence - FEWO - Standing Committee on the Status of Women

Study: Potential impact of recent funding and program changes at Status of Women Canada. The transcript for the meeting held December 6, 2006 can be found here

Ms. Leslie MacLeod (President, Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women - Newfoundland and Labrador): " I am here from Newfoundland and Labrador. I come here with the women in the province with me in spirit. They had a message for me to bring, and that is that women are not equal simply because somebody says this is so. We know that women are not equal. We have not achieved equality yet."

Ms. Andrée Côté (Director, Legislation and Law Reform, National Association of Women and the Law): ".....the current minister for the Status of Women, Ms. Bev Oda, stated, during a meeting with the representatives of women groups last October that those who spoke out against inequality of women were exaggerating, that they were victimizing women and that, when all was said and done, they were all somewhat hysterical.

........The loss of the NAWL would mean the loss of a unique voice that has been making itself heard for 30 years on the federal scene, one of the rare voices to defend the rights of women in crucial areas such as family law, violence against women, poverty, pay equity, the protection of human rights, immigration law reform and the constitutional and international rights of women. "

Ms. Leilani Farha (Co-Chair, Human Rights Committee, Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action): On the change in the SWC mandate by removing the words “equality” (also “political” and “legal”): "..... by removing the three that you mentioned--equality, political, and legal--basically it straps women, it makes women unable, in our opinion, to make the gains necessary to reach equality. They're saying on the one hand that we've reached equality, so don't work on it, and they're taking away the means we would normally use to ensure our equality: political means and legal means."

Ruth Larson - Halifax - Retired CUPW activist

Re: "Conservatives to close most Status of Women offices" (Nov. 30).

I am disgusted, sickened and appalled that the Conservative government is continuing to demonstrate the utmost lack of respect for Canadian women!

I volunteered for many years at the Status of Women office in Labrador City, taking on various positions in the organization. We struggled to s−t−r−e−t−c−h the dollars from the small amount of money that the organization was getting. We paid low salaries to the professionals who worked at the office; we brought our own food for all events; we billeted any guest who came to town; we shared beds and homes; we begged from the community and we struggled along.

This was one place where I saw many women, young and old, gain self−confidence and develop skills such as speaking, writing, socializing and learning.

Children came to play.

We learned more and more about the injustices of our society towards women and what we can do about it. We gained comradeship, friendships, trust in each other; and we made lifelong friends while learning every day.

It is shocking how the Conservative government is hacking at women's livelihoods and eroding many years of hard work, determination and confidence.

Women need to take a minute and see what is happening: We are going backwards 50 years or more. We must speak out now.

Men need to support us in our continuing struggle for fairness, equality and justice.


PUBLICATION: The Chronicle−Herald
DATE: 2006.12.06
SECTION: Letters
PAGE: A11

Show leadership on child care

"Charles Pascal and Margaret McCain remind us that affordable, quality child care will go a long way in improving the early development and lifelong opportunities of children. But, let us also remember that child care is an equality issue for women."

Letter to the Editor: Toronto Star

Saskatoon Child-care operators waiting for subsidies

In April, the government announced the largest single-year increase in the history of the 30-year-old child-care subsidy program -- $3.6 million -- would take effect Sept. 1. But some child-care operators have received neither the additional promised funds nor their usual subsidy.

Full article at the Star Phoenix

$24-million government plan to improve the lives of Quebec women lacks specifics

While women's groups and unions were relieved to see two government bodies - the Council for the Status of Women and the Secretariat a la condition feminine - maintained, they said the plan announced yesterday smacks of pre-electioneering.

The Charest government has increased the cost of daycare 40 per cent, stalled on the pay-equity dispute, and barred mostly female at-home daycare workers from unionizing, the women said. There had been rumours that the Council and the Secretariat would be abolished or merged.

For women, "equality is a non-negotiable principle, a principle that defines us as much as the language we speak," Theberge said yesterday.

Full article at the Montreal Gazette

Cartoonist Mike Constable's take on Harper's "New Canada"

To view this recent animated cartoon created by Mike Constable - click the cartoon at left

Related Source: Visit the Union Art Service

YouTube - Caroling for Carol Skelton

Caroling for Carol Skelton00:29
Protesting the cuts the Conservative government has made to the Status of Women as well as the closures of two offices in Saskatchewan, people sang Christmas carols with special lyrics to bring some holiday cheer.

Click on picture to watch