Scrapping the Status of Women Canada
Are the Conservatives really going to deconstruct the Status of Women Canada?
While I do believe we are working towards the elimination of barriers towards women, sadly I do not feel we are totally there. I strongly feel that there is still a need for the Status of Women Canada. It's sad and it's unfortunate that we still have a need for this department but I do not support a scrapping of the SWC.
While REAL Women (A right wing group) says it’s a waste, I would say that a serious problem would be the neglect of an issue that can be solved. Women should not face barriers and glass ceilings. We need to continue working towards equalizing the environment for women.
Nothing would bring me more joy if we were in a position where we could get rid of the need for the Status of Women Canada...I don't think we're there yet.
Scott Brison wrote a letter to Bev Oda asking her to support the continuation of the Status of Women Canada. I hope others will show leadership on the issue.
S.
***
Dear Honourable Minister,
I was dismayed to read a Canadian Press report today that REAL Women Canada, a socially conservative group that actively supports the Conservative Party of Canada, is trying to pressure the government to disband Status of Women Canada. REAL Women Canada has called Status of Women Canada a “serious abuse of taxpayers’ money”.
Status of Women Canada was created in the 1970’s, following the work of a Royal Commission on the Status of Women in 1967, to address equality and the full participation of women in the economic, political, social, and cultural life of the country. In particular, SWC has focused on improving women’s economic well-being, addressing issues around violence against women and children, and furthering the rights of women.
Statistics show that women continue to make up the vast majority of victims of sexual offences and spousal violence. It is also notable that the number of women elected to the Parliament of Canada has not increased appreciably in the last 10 years. Clearly, given the continuing issues around equality and rights for women, there exists a need for the work of SWC in education, advocacy and research to ensure that progress is not halted.
October is Women’s History Month in
I ask for your unequivocal support for the continuation of Status of Women Canada and a full repudiation of the efforts of REAL Women Canada to disband SWC. I look forward to your immediate, and public, reply.
Sincerely,
Scott Brison, M.P.
Kings-Hants
posted by Sarah Wong at 5:14 PM
6 Comments:
Thank you for your attention to this matter, Sarah. I blog at The Next Agenda and sure hope to hear your reasoned voice over there one of these days.
-Blackstar
Thanks for posting, Sarah! I'm so pleased to see so many progblogs addressing this. I used to volunteer for LEAF in the early 1990s and "REAL" women were a real problem back-then, too (mostly anti-choice screeds). Best regards, GDK/H&O
Thank you Sarah for the reasoned argument. Let's hope the "real" women and men of our government and opposition "stay the course" by recognizing the value and worth of the Status of Women Agency.
We've come a long way, baby, but have miles to go.
Thanks again Sista!
I have no problem with the SOW remianing, as long as they speak for, support and push equality for ALL women. Right now, I dont see that. REAL women discriminates in their agenda- so too does SOW. Until we have a women's group that encompases ALL women instead of pitting them against each other with the choices they make, we have no hope. How can we expect equality in society when we dont even have it within our own gender?
Anonymous at 9:45: Does REAL "speak for, support and push equality for ALL women." ?
The answer is no, it does not. REAL speaks for women of Judeo-Christian values, and as such is not qualified nor deserving of taxpayer funding.
The way I see it, REAL women are trying to pit women against one another, or preclude a woman of another culture/religion/more or environment than fits into REAL's Judeo-Christian mold.
Government is about ALL people, all Citizens, not just religious people, and SWC is a watchdog and bringer of justice to many women which REAL would not deign to have anything to do with.
SWC is a government agency, duly elected and carried by the majority of Canadians BECAUSE it works for ALL women.
The so-called REAL women just don't get it do they? They have a right to an opinion, to have their say - now how did that come to be.
It was special interest groups and the suffragettes that brought them to this point.
It's the real women that get involved and fight for their rights - not fight for what religious wacko (men-in-charge here) encourage them to do.
Why would we want to go back in time?
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