| Recent cuts by Stephen Harper’s government show that advancing equality rights for women and marginalized Canadians is not a priority, say critics.
The federal government has announced it will cut $5 million from the Status of Women Canada’s administrative budget and it will no longer provide any funding for the Court Challenges Program and the Law Commission of Canada. Both legal organizations are preparing to shut down their offices.
On the Status of Women Canada’s website it states its mandate is to promote gender equality, and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country. Its three focuses are improving women’s economic status, reducing violence against women and advancing women’s human rights.
The Court Challenges Program was established to help people without adequate financial resources to launch court challenges that advance equality and language rights guaranteed under the Charter. The Law Commission of Canada advises Parliament on how to improve and modernize Canadian laws. In 2002, the commission recommended that the government include same sex couples under marriage legislation. It has recently studied how Canadian law is affected by globalization and the need for electoral reform.
Calgary feminist Maria Eriksen, who has helped found various feminist organizations in the province, says the cuts to Status of Women Canada demonstrate that "women are not a priority."
"I think the impact will be that equality will slide and slide," she says. "If women are not seen to be important enough to be supported by the government to achieve equality I think then it’s impossible for them to do so because you’re really left on your own trying to fight this huge monolith and there’s no way you can succeed."
No one from Status of Women Canada is allowed to speak to the media. All calls are being referred to the press secretary of Bev Oda, the minister responsible for the department.
Veronique Bruneau, Oda’s press secretary, says the $5 million cut is simply " a savings in administrative operations."
She says the Women’s Program, through which Status of Women Canada gives out grants to women’s organizations, won’t be impacted by the cuts.
Francis Wright, co-chair of Equal Voice Alberta, that aims to increase the number of women involved in politics, says she finds the cuts "disturbing" and calls them "mean and anti-woman."
Wright says women still haven’t achieved equality in Canada. For example, more women than men continue to live in poverty. She is worried about how the cuts will impact the Status of Women.
"There is no fat to be cut out of the Status of Women organization," she says.
Noel Badiou, executive director of the Court Challenges Program of Canada, says he’s "shocked" by the elimination of his organization.
"This is a program really used by disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and taking that away is really sad and doesn’t speak very well of our government’s priorities," he says. "The cut has really taken away this access to justice. It’s a shame now that without financial assistance for those people who can’t afford to mount a challenge in court the only people that will have access are those with means."
Badiou says the United Nations has commended Canada on having such a program in place.
Yves LeBouthillier, president of the Law Commission of Canada, says his organization is trying to finish as many research projects as it can before it is shut down.
"What I want to stress is that we’re proud of our accomplishments. I think we produced excellent work," he says.
Vic Toews, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, said in a press release that recent cuts have "eliminated wasteful and ineffective programs, reduced government spending and paid down the national debt." |
Copyright ©2006 FFWD. All rights reserved.