WINNIPEG – Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government is continuing to embarrass Canada on the international stage with its regressive policies towards women, Liberal Status of Women Critic Anita Neville said today.
“As countries around the world are preparing to mark International Women’s Day on Sunday, this government is taking the women’s movement back,” said Ms. Neville. “By implementing policies that take away women’s rights, the Conservatives are simply failing Canadian women.”
Today, as Minister of Status of Women Canada Helena Guergis takes the stage at the United Nations (UN), representatives of Canadian women’s organizations and labour unions are set to gather at the front gates to protest the Conservative government’s failing record on women’s equality.
The Harper government has attacked women’s rights to pay equity, unilaterally changed the guidelines for Status of Women, dismantled the Liberal child care agreements and have failed to address the issue of more than 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
Since coming to power, the Conservative government has been embarrassing Canada internationally on other important issues as well. These include:
• failing to implement the recommendations proposed by UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women;
• refusing to sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and
• obstructing progress on climate change at the UN.
“Women are so desperate for change, that they are being forced to plead their case to the international community,” said Ms. Neville. “It is no wonder women’s groups are intending to file a complaint with the United Nations. Today what we are hearing is enough is enough.”
