News release

March 9, 2007

Oda a no show on International Women's Day

TORONTO – The members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who spent International Women's Day in Status of Women Minister Bev Oda's constituency office say it was a day well spent.

“Since Minister Oda didn't ask us to celebrate International Women's Day with her, we decided to invite ourselves,” says PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for Ontario Gerry Halabecki, one of the members installed in the office.  “We felt she needed to hear first hand how the Harper government is failing women.”

“In the short term, we asked for a meeting with the Minister,” says Halabecki. “We wanted to give her an opportunity to meet with PSAC members who have been providing service through the Status of Women Canada offices, and other women in the community, to outline what we believe needs to be done to advance women's equality.  Unfortunately, Minister Oda seems reluctant to meet women who don't share her government's opinions about the state of women's equality in this country.”

In the long term, the Harper government needs to stop the backwards trend and take progressive steps according to PSAC Regional Vice-President Robyn Benson, the union's officer responsible for women's rights.

“Prime Minister Harper, in his International Women's Day statement which focussed on violent crime, seems to think that the answer to violence against women and girls is longer prison terms and harsher penalities,” says Benson.  “We know these do not address the systemic problems that give rise to this violence.  What are needed are positive, long-term solutions to deal with women's economic inequity and to ensure women's equal participation and recognition in Canadian society.” 

“We continue to call on the Prime Minister, Minister Oda and the Conservative government to rescind their decision to cut the operating budget and close most of the Status of Women Canada offices, to continue to fund women's groups to conduct research that will produce solutions for systemic changes, to restore the Court Challenges Program, to introduce proactive pay equity legislation, as recommended the federal Pay Equity Task Force, and to create a national child care system,” says Benson.

For information:
Louise Laporte, PSAC Communications
613-560-4287 or 613-558-4975

13-090307