In early October, the federal government announced dramatic changes to Status of Women Canada that will, in effect, eliminate federal funding to feminist organizations in Canada. Combined with the removal of the Court Challenges Program, these changes will end the era of Canadian democracy that recognized the need for state funding to marginalized groups. The Harper government has taken us one more step toward U.S.-style “democracy” where only the powerful have access to government.

The administrative cuts to Status of Women have received the most attention in the media but the changes to the government agency’s mandate are much more significant. The word “equality” has been eliminated from the agency’s mandate replaced by the word “participation.” In addition, funding for lobbying and research, exactly what the agency always funded, is no longer permitted.

Another potentially even more significant change is that for-profit groups are now eligible for funding. In other words, the Royal Bank of Canada could apply for funding to Status of Women Canada to increase the number of women managers at the bank.

With their typical tactical finesse, the Harper government has slipped these historic changes under the nose of most of the media. Only the Toronto Star even reported the changes. Even women’s groups have failed to notice that now for-profits can apply for Status of Women funding.

Weeks before the changes to Status of Women Canada, two national women’s groups, Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) and the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) had funding cuts reinstated, a pyrrhic victory if ever there was one. Interestingly enough, only international lobbying will be allowed under funding criteria. This might be to avoid a slap on the wrists from the United Nations or perhaps recognition that FAFIA is the only group on the national level that can really mount a campaign.

Funding to women’s organizations and other equality-seeking groups was begun in the Trudeau era with the philosophy that government should support those who would otherwise have little voice at the federal level. In the ’70s, for example, the National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC) received almost all its operational funding from Status of Women Canada. Politically motivated cuts to the program began in the ’80s under Brian Mulroney, at a time when the women’s movement was one of the most important opponents of free trade. The Liberals continued the cuts and quietly changed the program so that it was no longer funding operations but mostly research. This had an even a more devastating impact on women’s groups.

In one way, the Harper changes are the nail in the coffin, which may be why they are receiving so little attention. But we should not underestimate their significance. On the one hand, they are a sign of the anti-feminist, social conservative direction that the Harper government will take should it win a majority. On the other hand, they are another deeper stage of a dramatic restructuring of the Canadian state that will further marginalize those who have the least political power in society.

Those who support the fight for equality in society have been responding to these assaults one by one without fully recognizing the fundamental changes they represent. What is needed is a new strategy for democratic participation that recognizes the way in which equality seeking groups and poor people have been systematically excluded and pushed even more to the margins.

There are attempts to mobilize on behalf of women’s groups in English Canada. One of the more interesting initiatives is a website whose theme is “Status of Women Canada needs us and we need them.” It has all the information a campaign to save Status of Women Canada should have including information on the history of the agency and ideas for mobilizing.

Women’s groups in Quebec, however, will be the key to reversing the changes since they are the only ones who still have the political clout necessary. The Harper government is already in trouble in Quebec and support for women’s equality in Quebec is stronger than anywhere else in the country.

Judy Rebick

Judy Rebick

Judy Rebick is one of Canada’s best-known feminists. She was the founding publisher of rabble.ca , wrote our advice column auntie.com and was co-host of one of our first podcasts called Reel Women....