Things are looking pale for women in Canada. See this excerpt from http://www.statusreport.ca/, the site dedicated to reporting the latest news about funding cuts to Status of Women Canada.
Beverley Oda, Minister of Heritage and Status of Women, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, have taken drastic steps away from women’s equality.
On September 25, 2006, the federal government announced a 5 million dollar (40%) cut to SWC’s administrative budget.
On October 3rd, they removed the very word “equality” from SWC’s mandate and changed the rules so that women’s groups cannot use federal funding to do advocacy or lobbying.
To draw awareness to the funding cuts from the Status of Women Canada, Progressive Bloggers are running a campaign, asking bloggers to post 5 things feminism has done for them. Here are mine:
1- I did not have to stay in an abusive marriage. I exist in Canada as an individual, not my husband’s (or father’s) chattel.
2 – I was able to return to school while raising my kids – as a child I was taught to read. Not all girls have this opportunity. Because there are feminists I got to go to school.
3 – I am able to learn and work in the male-dominated field of technology. Nobody tells me I can’t like computers because I’m a girl. And if they did I wouldn’t listen anyway.
4- I do not have to fear an unwanted pregnancy. I have access to safe birth control. No one can force me to have sex and get away with it.
5 – My children know women who are capable, strong, intelligent, creative, and not afraid to stand up for what is right. Feminists are powerful role models. For all of us.
Now I tag:
Alexandra A
Sue Richards
Alexandra Samuels
Windchine Walker
Mir
17 October 2006, 12:55 am
Thanks for your list!
PS – might be a good idea to email your “tags” there to let them actually know they’ve been tagged in case they dont see this post. Also, letting them know what they’ve been tagged for is always good 😉
09 March 2007, 8:53 am
Thanks Candace, I’ll get to this as soon as I finish my f—ng paper on MySpace.