A promise made, a promise broken

One year ago, in the midst of a heated federal election campaign, Stephen Harper promised in writing to improve the situation of women's rights in Canada. A year later, the work of women's and human rights groups is threatened and under attack.

Across the country, 12 Status of Women Canada offices are scheduled to close April 1. These offices have played a significant role in funding community initiatives and research. In Newfoundland and Labrador, women have given the Harper government an “F” for their efforts when it comes to women. (In BC, women have scored an unexpected victory following an occupation of the Status of Women office. Their demands were met and a meeting between BC women's groups and Bev Oda, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women has been guaranteed to take place today.)

“Since coming to power, Harper and his government have not only ignored their public commitment, but blatantly contradicted it,” said Shelagh Day, Co-Chair of Feminist Alliance for International Action [1] (FAFIA).

Recent protests by thousands of women in December across the country against these unfortunate decisions appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

“In 2007, women in Canada will take several leaps backwards unless there is a reversal in Harper's actions,” commented Doris Anderson, former president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women and long time advocate for women's equality.

Not only has the government announced that it is cutting nearly half its staff responsible for the advancement of women's rights at Status of Women Canada, it has imposed a ban on all federally-funded advocacy regarding women's equality.

As a consequence, equality-seeking groups like the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, the Conseil d'intervention pour l'accès des femmes au travail in Québec, among many others, including the National Association of Women and the Law, the Canadian Research Institute on the Advancement of Women and the Canadian Feminist Alliance face an uncertain future. Many fear that they will have to cut back their operations while some may have to close their doors entirely.

“If these organizations were to close, the impact on communities across the country would be huge,” says Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians [2], chair of the largest citizen's coalition in Canada. “These groups represent a particular expertise developed through years, if not decades, of collaboration with the community.”

In addition, these not-for-profit groups are facing competition from for-profit corporations for funding, further jeopardizing their future. “Now that the Minister responsible has opened the doors for Status of Women funding to be available to corporations, we fully expect that corporations will be applying for significant resources,” adds Day.

This past fall, the Harper government announced a $5 million cut (43 per cent) to the operating budget of Status of Women Canada (SWC), the closure of 12 of 16 regional SWC offices, the elimination of the Court Challenges Program, the termination of funding for all advocacy related work by women's groups and the removal of the word equality from the mandate of SWC's Women's Program.

Please read the full text [3] of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's commitment made to women in Canada on January 18, 2006.

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