Re- posted from thestar.blogs.com -- Broadsides by Antonia Zerbisias -- September 15, 2008
The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada has posted a tally of federal MPs' stances on women's reproductive freedoms. In part derived from research by the anti-choice Campaign Life Coalition, it suggests that a Conservative government, which attempted to eliminate any debate on abortion in the current election campaign by shelving Bill C-484, the so-called Unborn Victims Act, could curtail women's access to safe and legal abortions. And yet ...
... Campaign Life Coalition has decided to sabotage the chances of a Conservative majority victory by surveying MPs and publicizing a stupendously long list of 108 anti-abortion MPs, most of them Conservatives. Actually, the list comprises those who oppose the awarding of the Order of Canada to Dr. Henry Morgentaler, but it’s safe to assume that MP’s who take a public position against the award have a problem with abortion rights.
This is in defiance of the sentiments of most Canadians since one of the few reputable polls done (Ipsos Reid, July) found that 65% of Canadians support the Order of Canada award for Dr. Morgentaler.
The large increase of known anti-choice MPs in Parliament spells trouble for abortion rights if Harper wins a majority Conservative government. We could easily be looking at a new Parliament with a clear majority of anti-choice MPs. Not only will they have the power to pass anti-abortion bills, they can be counted upon to use it. Prior to the election call, at least three private member bills were in play, which would either restrict abortion or endanger abortion rights. These bills will probably be re-introduced in the next session, along with a government bill making pregnancy an aggravating factor in assaults on women. We have not seen the wording of this latter bill, and some women’s groups fear it could also lead to restrictions on women’s rights.
Further, the Liberal caucus harbours a frightening number of anti-choice MPs – more than a quarter of them - 28%, compared to the 20% known in 2006. Stéphane Dion needs to make clear to his MPs and candidates that the Liberal Party is officially pro-choice. He must rein in his anti-choice MPs by requiring them to vote against anti-abortion bills, or at least absent themselves from abortion-related votes.
Ah well. If they eliminate abortion rights, I guess single parents can work and find daycare for their children on the Conservatives' $25 weekly child tax benefit.
Incidentally, today Harper announced maternity and parental benefits for self-employed Canadians.
Harper said the proposed system would be voluntary. Self-employed Canadians would opt in to pay premiums and, in return, would be eligible for the same type of benefits as other Canadians.
They would have to opt-in at least six months prior to making a claim.
More than 2.6 million Canadians are self-employed, one-third of which are women, Harper said.
Harper's policy details were not available. The party says exact premium amounts and payment levels would be set upon implementation, after a review by a new EI Insurance Financing Board.
Harper said his goal was to help Canadians achieve the balance between work and family. [Or, keeping women out of the workforce - ed.]
Harper did not extend similar benefits to adoptive parents, who currently qualify for nine months of benefits, not one-year of paid leave. He did not explain the rationale, except to say "that is a different matter." He said his plan was intended to help entrepreneurs and small business people," and cited "other" things his government has done, presumably meaning facilitating citizenship for internationally adopted children, and incorporating tax credits for adoption expenses.
All very nice but the businesswomen I know can't walk away from the shop or office, to stay home for more than a couple of weeks.
Strangely, the Conservatives didn't seem to note that in Quebec, participation of the self-employed is mandatory.
What's more, if the benefits don't extend to adoptive parents -- and adoption is always the option that the anti-choicers advocate -- then I would expect that the Campaign Life Coalition will be complaining about this bias against adoptive parents.
Right?
The real issue, according to the NDP, so many women work part-time anyway, not meeting the minimum threshold of 360 hours, that they can't collect EI if they lose their jobs, or take time to raise the children the Cons value so much. As a result, 68 per cent of women simply don't qualify.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
FREE EVENT: Gone in 30 Seconds Video-making Party
No Camera? No YouTube? No Problem!
Gone in 30 Seconds Video-making Party
Host: Sandee
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2008
Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Video Pool
Street: 300 - 100 Arthur St. Winnipeg, MB
Contact: 204.949.9134
GONE IN 30 SECONDS
Speak up. Speak out. Speak fast.
I want Winnipeggers to contribute 30 Second videos to The Department of Culture's Gone in 30 Seconds campaign, so I've rented a camera, lights, editing suite and the studio. Please join me and my crew from 12 - 4 this Sunday. You supply 30 seconds of blistering political reasoning; we'll do the rest!
Show Canada in 30 seconds how you feel about the Conservative government’s dramatic dismantling of arts, cultural and social programs since 2006.
These submissions will be entered into a national online contest. Celebrity judges will pick the winning entries, which will be showcased at the DoC’s huge This Is Not A Conservative Party Concert, Oct. 9th at the Phoenix Concert Hall in Toronto.
DEADLINE: 9 a.m. EST, Wednesday, October 1, 2008
http://departmentofculture.ca/30seconds/
Gone in 30 Seconds Video-making Party
Host: Sandee
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2008
Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Video Pool
Street: 300 - 100 Arthur St. Winnipeg, MB
Contact: 204.949.9134
GONE IN 30 SECONDS
Speak up. Speak out. Speak fast.
I want Winnipeggers to contribute 30 Second videos to The Department of Culture's Gone in 30 Seconds campaign, so I've rented a camera, lights, editing suite and the studio. Please join me and my crew from 12 - 4 this Sunday. You supply 30 seconds of blistering political reasoning; we'll do the rest!
Show Canada in 30 seconds how you feel about the Conservative government’s dramatic dismantling of arts, cultural and social programs since 2006.
These submissions will be entered into a national online contest. Celebrity judges will pick the winning entries, which will be showcased at the DoC’s huge This Is Not A Conservative Party Concert, Oct. 9th at the Phoenix Concert Hall in Toronto.
DEADLINE: 9 a.m. EST, Wednesday, October 1, 2008
http://departmentofculture.ca/30seconds/
* * *
Here is an example made in Toronto...FREE EVENT: Why Women Count in the Federal Election
The following event will be of interest to all, especially people who still need a reason to NOT vote Conservative. Word has it that the CPC was invited to attend, but the rejected the offer...
What does that tell you?
Why Women Count in the Federal Election
Host: University of Winnipeg
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Time: 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Location: The University of Winnipeg campus in Eckhart-Grammatte Hall
Street: 515 Portage Avenue
Please join us for a free panel discussion on "Why Women Count in the Federal Election" on Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 12:30-1:20 (with discussion until 2:00) at The University of Winnipeg campus in Eckhart-Grammatte Hall.
All are welcome.
The participants will be:
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP (Winnipeg North)
Lesley Hughes - Liberal (Kildonan--St. Paul)
Cheryl-Anne Carr - Communist Party
Jessie Klassen - Green Party (Winnipeg Centre)
This public forum is organized by the Department of Women's & Gender Studies, Politics Department, Institute for Women's & Gender Studies, University of Winnipeg Students’ Association and the Womyn's Centre.
What does that tell you?
Why Women Count in the Federal Election
Host: University of Winnipeg
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Time: 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Location: The University of Winnipeg campus in Eckhart-Grammatte Hall
Street: 515 Portage Avenue
Please join us for a free panel discussion on "Why Women Count in the Federal Election" on Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 12:30-1:20 (with discussion until 2:00) at The University of Winnipeg campus in Eckhart-Grammatte Hall.
All are welcome.
The participants will be:
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP (Winnipeg North)
Lesley Hughes - Liberal (Kildonan--St. Paul)
Cheryl-Anne Carr - Communist Party
Jessie Klassen - Green Party (Winnipeg Centre)
This public forum is organized by the Department of Women's & Gender Studies, Politics Department, Institute for Women's & Gender Studies, University of Winnipeg Students’ Association and the Womyn's Centre.
The Department of Culture ... Who, What, Why...
WHO WE ARE
We are the Department of Culture, a growing community of Canadian citizens who are artists, arts professionals and cultural workers concerned about ensuring the social and cultural health and prosperity of our nation in the face of a Federal Government that is aggressively undermining the values that define Canada.
We are you: the painters, architects, dancers, writers, actors, designers, filmmakers, sculptors, performers, photographers, ceramicists, directors, curators, musicians, archivists, fashion designers, producers, weavers, choreographers, editors, librarians . . .
WHAT WE STAND FOR:
The Department of Culture was founded on the following objectives to:
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR
This is not a fight about money. This is not a fight for the inherent value of cultural expression. This is not a fight about this or that ideology. This is not a fight about what percentage of GDP should go here or there. This is not a fight to save our national reputation. This is a fight for all of the above. It’s about how all of these things serve each other - arts, health care, sports, education, agriculture, the environment, and immigration. We are battling the false dichotomies espoused by the Conservative government and their ilk. This is a movement to fight for progressive social and cultural values through artist-initiated actions that employ the skills, experiences, collaborative methods and imagination that define artists’ work. When it comes to the current government specifically, we don’t like their priorities, we don’t like their values, we don’t like their secrecy, we don’t like the many cuts to our allies and we don’t like the cuts to the arts.
We are the Department of Culture, a growing community of Canadian citizens who are artists, arts professionals and cultural workers concerned about ensuring the social and cultural health and prosperity of our nation in the face of a Federal Government that is aggressively undermining the values that define Canada.
We are you: the painters, architects, dancers, writers, actors, designers, filmmakers, sculptors, performers, photographers, ceramicists, directors, curators, musicians, archivists, fashion designers, producers, weavers, choreographers, editors, librarians . . .
WHAT WE STAND FOR:
The Department of Culture was founded on the following objectives to:
- ENCOURAGE A MULTIDIMENSIONAL VISION OF CULTURE that emphasizes living interactions between the artistic, cultural, social, political and economic aspects of society.
- PROMOTE A VIEW OF CITIZENSHIP in which all Canadians are active participants in the creation of culture rather than simply as passive receivers of it.
- ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENTS, AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS ARE ACCOUNTABLE for their social and cultural agendas.
- SUPPORT THE CREATIVE AGENCY OF ARTISTS to make political change through all forms of artistic production.
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR
This is not a fight about money. This is not a fight for the inherent value of cultural expression. This is not a fight about this or that ideology. This is not a fight about what percentage of GDP should go here or there. This is not a fight to save our national reputation. This is a fight for all of the above. It’s about how all of these things serve each other - arts, health care, sports, education, agriculture, the environment, and immigration. We are battling the false dichotomies espoused by the Conservative government and their ilk. This is a movement to fight for progressive social and cultural values through artist-initiated actions that employ the skills, experiences, collaborative methods and imagination that define artists’ work. When it comes to the current government specifically, we don’t like their priorities, we don’t like their values, we don’t like their secrecy, we don’t like the many cuts to our allies and we don’t like the cuts to the arts.
Welcome to the Department of Culture Winnipeg
We are the Winnipeg Branch of the Department of Culture, a growing community of Canadian citizens who are artists, arts professionals and cultural workers concerned about ensuring the social and cultural health and prosperity of our nation in the face of a Federal Government that is aggressively undermining the values that define Canada.
We are you: the painters, architects, dancers, writers, actors, designers, filmmakers, sculptors, performers, photographers, ceramicists, directors, curators, musicians, archivists, fashion designers, producers, weavers, choreographers, editors, librarians . . .
But we’re not organizing as artists protesting cuts to the arts. No! There’s so much more to it than that!
We’re arts-minded people protesting the poor and unfair government that has dramatically reduced quality of life in Canada for all Canadians. That poor and unfair government is Stephen Harper's gang of CPC-MPs -- an aggressive and regressive alliance of ultra-right non-progressive Conservatives and members of the former Reform.
We are part of a national network of concerned citizens who don’t buy the lie that supporters of the arts live in a bubble unaffected by the destruction of health care, public services, safe food and water, child care, labour laws, women’s rights, public education, the environment, thoughtful culture, and everything else the Conservatives seem to hate We’re fighting for economic, social, and political justice for all.
The CPC has done so much damage in such a short time, so it’s a good thing Harper decided to call it quits when he did -- we’ve had enough and we’re working to ensure he’s unemployed by Oct 14!!
We encourage all Canadians to vote strategically to unseat Conservatives. We don't want 'em! We don't need 'em! Let's send ‘em packing!
Stay tuned to this blog to find out more about our upcoming events. To join us, contact us: departmentofculture.winnipeg@gmail.com!
We are you: the painters, architects, dancers, writers, actors, designers, filmmakers, sculptors, performers, photographers, ceramicists, directors, curators, musicians, archivists, fashion designers, producers, weavers, choreographers, editors, librarians . . .
But we’re not organizing as artists protesting cuts to the arts. No! There’s so much more to it than that!
We’re arts-minded people protesting the poor and unfair government that has dramatically reduced quality of life in Canada for all Canadians. That poor and unfair government is Stephen Harper's gang of CPC-MPs -- an aggressive and regressive alliance of ultra-right non-progressive Conservatives and members of the former Reform.
We are part of a national network of concerned citizens who don’t buy the lie that supporters of the arts live in a bubble unaffected by the destruction of health care, public services, safe food and water, child care, labour laws, women’s rights, public education, the environment, thoughtful culture, and everything else the Conservatives seem to hate We’re fighting for economic, social, and political justice for all.
The CPC has done so much damage in such a short time, so it’s a good thing Harper decided to call it quits when he did -- we’ve had enough and we’re working to ensure he’s unemployed by Oct 14!!
We encourage all Canadians to vote strategically to unseat Conservatives. We don't want 'em! We don't need 'em! Let's send ‘em packing!
Stay tuned to this blog to find out more about our upcoming events. To join us, contact us: departmentofculture.winnipeg@gmail.com!
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