Let's make the prime minister accountable

Dec. 10 was International Human Rights Day and marked the 25th anniversary of the ratification by the United Nations Convention to Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Canada signed this agreement. An agreement our present federal Conservative government has blatantly disrespected. The Status of Women Canada was cut $5 million, over 40% of their funding. The new Liberal leader Stephane Dion’s first question in the House was about the cuts to Status of Women Canada, so apparently some politicians are listening.

Many women's centres exist today because of this funding source’s initial support. Locally, in 1998, they supported a project to explore current services and the needs of women in the area. I had the wonderful opportunity to facilitate focus groups from Lockport to Digby and the recommendations from these sessions enhanced our journey to open a women’s centre.

Over the past three years women’s centres from the western region were committed to researching the inequities in Canada’s Public Pension Funds. The research was intense. The recommendations were presented at a forum last fall to women whose lives are affected, service providers, government agency representatives, politicians and other community based organizers, both provincially and nationally.

The energy to move forward was evident, commitment from the participants was clear and the recommendations were attainable. However with these current cuts to funding, it is likely this work to make our Public Pension Fund equitable will not happen any time soon.

Asking organizations that have the responsibility of assisting those among us who are the most disadvantaged, because of poverty, violence or traumatic life changes, not to advocate for change by doing research is somewhat akin to saying here’s a piece of earth, now grow a garden.

If we have not experienced violence or poverty related issues, we know of someone who has. Thus, these funding cuts affect us all.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Jan. 18, 2006, “If elected, I will take concrete and immediate measures, as recommended by the United Nations, to ensure that Canada fully upholds its commitments to women in Canada."

Let’s make him accountable!

Dianne Crowell

Argyle