Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement today on International Women’s Day:

“International Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women across the globe. Throughout this week, commemorative events across Canada will reflect on women’s progress over the decades, and the challenges that still remain before all women achieve true equality.

Only days ago, all Canadians proudly cheered on the remarkable success of our women athletes at the Vancouver Olympics.  Sadly, government action hasn’t matched the achievements of our women.  Women’s equality has taken a step back under the Conservative government’s regressive policies, which have led to a growing gender gap in this country.

Canada’s federal government should be leading by example by adopting policies and programs that help more women and girls to participate in all aspects of society. Only then will all women truly succeed – and when women succeed, all of Canada wins.

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary caucus – particularly the Liberal Women’s Caucus – I invite all Canadians to participate in events in their communities that celebrate women. And I encourage everyone to make every day women’s day by doing your part to ensure a bright, safe and prosperous future for all women and girls.”

Liberal Status of Women Critic Anita Neville added:

“International Women’s Day allows us – all of us – to reflect on the incredible achievements of women in Canada and around the world over the decades. Many women today enjoy a prosperity and freedom their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers could only dream of.

But that is not the whole story. This week is also a time to take a hard look at what still needs to be done to bring opportunity to all women. There are still far too many women – here at home and across the globe – living with poverty, prejudice and/or abuse, solely because they are women.The Harper government has not helped matters – they have attacked women’s rights to pay equity, left women out of their economic stimulus plan, dismantled child care agreements and failed to take concrete action or call an investigation into the national shame of more than 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women.

Today, as with every day of the year, I wish success and health for all women.”

Backgrounder:

What the Conservatives have done to erode women’s equality and participation in Canada:

• Turned a woman’s fundamental right to pay equity into something up for grabs at the collective bargaining table.

• Cut the operating budget of Status of Women Canada by 43 percent, while removing the word “equality” from the mandate of its Women’s Program.

• Removed the Gender Equality unit in the Human Rights Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

• Eliminated funding for the Court Challenges Program that low-income women used to fight discrimination.

• Axed the $1-billion annual Liberal early learning and child care agreements, and the Kelowna Accord which would have provided much-needed health and education funding.

• Eliminated the National Child Supplement.

• Failed to produce their ‘Action Plan’ – announced in Budget 2008 – to advance equality for women by improving their economic and social conditions and their participation in democratic life.

• Ignored a November 25, 2008, motion passed unanimously in the House of Commons to develop a violence against women prevention strategy.