Harper looks beyond the fringe

Yes, it has been a few months since anything has been posted at this blog, but that does not mean the Department of Culture has disbanded. Oooooh no, it does not. Rumblings of yet another election are well underway, and we're all waiting for the big news, whenever it might arise.

In the meantime, Harper continues to play foul. Thank you to the Toronto Star and Antonia Zerbisias for posting this truly important and informative article!

Harper looks beyond the fringe by Antonia Zerbisias
Sep 11, 2009 04:30 AM
http://thestar.com/article/693897

I'm thinking of making T-shirts: "Proud to be a member of that `left-wing fringe group' called `Women.'"

They'd be pink, of course, for socialism – and also for the pink triangle, the badge the Nazis made gays and lesbians wear before shipping them off to the camps.

Thanks to Prime Minster Stephen Harper, those T-shirts will make me rich!

So props to you, P.M., for letting down your hair, and your guard, last week at that not-so-closed-door speech in Sault Ste. Marie.

Thank you for finally admitting that your government shut down the Court Challenges program in 2006 not just because, as then-Heritage Minister Bev Oda claim- ed in Parliament, you "recognize the importance of women" but because you believe that that women's rights are "left-wing fringe" rights.

Truth is, you only "recognize the importance" of some of the women some of the time. Members of fringe groups such as R.E.A.L. Women, which opposes women's rights and same-sex rights, plus just about everything that doesn't hew to the "family values" one-man, one-stay-at-home-woman and lots-of-babies fantasy.

But they are not "fringe" to you, Prime Minister. At least not judging from how everything your government attempts to do comes right out of R.E.A.L. Women's playbook. So thank you for, once again, opening that not-so-hidden agenda, the one that you would impose if you ever won a majority government.

The agenda that thinks women's work is not as valuable as men's.

The agenda that would treat lesbians and gays as less than equal.

The agenda that would curb the rights of people with disabilities.

The agenda that would discriminate on the basis of race and religion.

The agenda that would leave women without reproductive freedom.

That's because that Court Challenges program your government deemed "wasteful," was, according to its website, "a national non-profit organization which was set up in 1994 to provide financial assistance for important court cases that advance language and equality rights guaranteed under Canada's Constitution."

Not just "important" cases, but landmark cases, many fought by LEAF, the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund – a group clearly overrun by rabid fringe feminists.

They intervened in "left-wing fringe" court cases such as Torres v. Minto Management (2002), which prevented a landlord from increasing a single mother's rent by 41 per cent just because her husband had left the building.

Then there was the "left-wing fringe" case The Queen v. Keegstra (1990), which kept a Holocaust denier from teaching his anti- Semitic ideas to Alberta schoolchildren.

Or how about that "left-wing fringe" case Brooks v. Safeway (1989), which forced employers not to discriminate against pregnant staffers.

And here you are, Mr. Harper, such a champion of "childcare choices" that, last week, you boasted of your government's failure to create a single daycare space.

"We need to win a majority," you told your enthusiastic audience. "If we do not win a majority, this government will have a Liberal government propped up by the socialists and the separatists."

And later, you added: "Imagine how many left-wing ideologues they would be putting in the courts."

Frankly, I think more Canadians would find the alternative a scarier proposition.

Finally, thank you for revealing your nasty, petty and vindictive side, the one that you batten down when you know the cameras are on you.

Maybe, while you're scrapping the gun registry, you could start one for cellphone cameras so, next time, nobody in your audience can tape you, and then leak the videos to CBC.

So, anyway, I'm thinking of adding shimmy-shimmy-shake fringe to the T-shirts.

Rich! Rich I tell ya!

(Marketing types can contact me at my email address below.)

Antonia Zerbisias is a Living section columnist and feature writer. azerbisias@thestar.ca.

Video of the November 15 Block Harper Rally in Winnipeg

Watch it here!

Tory views on women's rights perfectly clear

Reposted from: http://www.thestar.com/living/article/539189
Antonia Zerbisias, Toronto Star, November 19, 2008

Stephen Harper can put on all the warm and fuzzy sweaters he likes, smile and say soothing things to politically moderate Canadians but, every time his base speaks out, the Prime Minister's carefully crafted image begins to unravel.

This was evident during the Conservative national policy convention in Winnipeg last weekend, at least when it came to issues concerning women.

Passed were three policy resolutions that affect women, and their rights, and choices.

In ascending order of outrageousness, they are:

Resolution P-305 would allow for income splitting for families with children, which would ease the tax burden on the main earner and put more cash in the couple's pockets.

That means spouses – usually women – who don't work outside of the home for pay could also get some financial reward for their contributions to the family, assuming, of course, that they actually see some of the dough.

Now, on the surface, this is great.

Except for one thing: It discriminates against single-parent families, many of who struggle to make ends meet.

It also works more to the benefit of the rich than the middle classes. The more income that a couple can split, the bigger and better the tax break. And aren't non-working spouses dependents anyway?

What income splitting as official policy really says is, especially in the absence of a national daycare program, a woman's place is in the home.

Resolution P-213 should hardly come as a surprise to anybody following the Harper government's efforts to wipe out any and all support for women's rights.

The proposal eliminates support for full gender equality as well as equal pay for work of equal value.

Let me repeat that: It would eliminate support for full gender equality.

Oh it couches that in airy fairy speak, stating that the party is all for "the full participation of women in the social, economic, and cultural life of Canada." But the phrase "gender equality" was scrubbed and equal pay will only go for "equal work."

That means male parking lot attendants can continue to make more than female child care workers, even if the latter have university educations and are entrusted with your precious kid instead of your car.

Which says a lot about where the Cons stand on the issue of women's work and independence.

And, if you still don't get their agenda, consider what bloggers Dr. Dawg and Danielle Takacs both reported from the floor. At least one delegate objected to the resolution because women already have it "too good" and the proposal should have included men.

Last but, oh so very far from least, is Resolution P-207 which is all about, here we go again, protecting "unborn children" from violence.

Rewind to the eve of the last federal election when Harper pulled the plug on the controversial Bill C-484, the so-called "Unborn Victims of Crime Act" because it contained language that could lead to the definition of the fetus as a legal person.

Well, a similar bill could be back like the stink of skunk after the rain. According to Kady Malley of Maclean's, when one delegate got up to say that passing this would open the door to fetal rights, she was cheered. But, when the applause died down, she concluded that this was not a good thing. Which was when she was booed.

True, after the vote, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson told reporters Harper has publicly stated he has no intention of reopening the abortion debate. So why can't he close it in his own party ranks?

It's obvious that, whatever face Harper presents to Canadians, his dark grass roots will always be showing.

Antonia Zerbisias is a Living section columnist. azerbisias@thestar.ca. She blogs at thestar.blogs.com.

Messages from Allies

Election resources on women's equality from CWHN

Federal Election 2008 - Bringing Women's Voices and Concerns to the National Table

CWHN is highlighting resources created by other non-governmental organizations for this federal election. See our website for details:

http://www.cwhn.ca/indexeng.html

Issues that are important to women are important to the country. Remember, on October 14th, exercise your right to vote!

Ellen Reynolds
Director of Communications/Directrice des communications
Canadian Women’s Health Network/Le Réseau canadien pour la santé des femmes
203 – 419 Ave Graham
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0M3
Cell: 250-208-4889
Fax/Téléc: 204-989-2355
news@cwhn.ca // www.cwhn.ca

Messages from Allies

Hey everyone,

Click the link below to download the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health's 2008 Election Toolkit, which is loaded with stats and questions to present to the candidates in your riding.

It makes it even easier to see that the Conservatives do NOT have YOUR best interest at heart!

Their party-line answers to these questions demonstrate just how much their agenda is motivated by private values and not the collective right for all people to access information and make decisions independently.

http://www.cfsh.ca/files/PDF/2008_Election_Toolkit__CFSH.pdf

Careful, honey... he's anti-choice

Interested in the postering sized version of this file? Send a message to departmentofculture.winnipeg@gmail.com, and we'll send it to you!

Tell us what ya really think, Harper n' Co.!

Milena says: "I just found these quotes kickin' around in a folder on my hard drive from the last election. Sure, they're old, and there have been more shockingly ignorant commentary since, but let's not forget these ones, as well. Anyone interested in adding to this list?"

I would expect the support of the party no matter what happens... even if I were to kill my grandmother with an axe.
- Stockwell Day (while leader of the Alliance, according to various MPs), June 2001.

"I want to know how many women in Alberta are physically battered and not just insulted by their husbands... If we talk insulted by their husbands, then I'm afraid that I'm guilty from time to time of abusing my wife."
- Stockwell Day (disputing a poll indicating one million women had been abused physically, emotionally, sexually or economically) 1987.

As a Christian, I acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ over the whole universe ... I believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God and every word in it, cover to cover, is true.
- Stockwell Day, 1998.

The establishment came down with a constitutional package which they put to a national referendum. The package included distinct society status for Quebec and some other changes, including some that would just horrify you, putting universal Medicare in our constitution, and feminist rights, and a whole bunch of other things.
- Conservative leader Stephen Harper, then vice-president of the National Citizens Coalition, Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy (a right-wing American think tank), June 1997.

If you've read any of the official propagandas, you've come over the border and entered a bilingual country. In this particular city, Montreal, you may well get that impression. But this city is extremely atypical of this country... So it's basically an English-speaking country, just as English-speaking as, I would guess, the northern part of the United States.
- Conservative leader Stephen Harper, then vice-president of the National Citizens Coalition, Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy (a right-wing American think tank), June 1997.

For taxpayers, however, it’s a rip-off. And it has nothing to do with gender. Both men and women taxpayers will pay additional money to both men and women in the civil service. That’s why the federal government should scrap its ridiculous pay equity law.
- Stephen Harper on pay equity, NCC Overview, Fall 1998.

I don't know all the facts on Iraq, but I think we should work closely with the Americans.
- Stephen Harper, Report Newsmagazine, March 25th 2002.

It's past time the feds scrapped the Canada Health Act.
- Stephen Harper, then Vice-President of the National Citizens Coalition, 1997.

Vote to choose

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.

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.