FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2006
Ottawa: Yesterday, Minister Beverley Oda moved to further restrict the work of women’s groups throughout the country by announcing the closure of twelve Status of Women Canada offices. In so doing, Oda has dramatically reduced access by Canadian women to the Status of Women Canada department, especially in rural and remote areas.
“Women are bewildered by this decision. With the elimination of over half of the regional staff, local women’s access to Status of Women Canada offices will be significantly worse,” said Michèle Asselin, President of la Fédération des femmes du Québec (Federation of Women in Québec).
Minister Oda said the offices were being closed because they were too supportive of groups who advocated or lobbied on behalf of women.
“The Status of Women Canada office here, which has been open for twenty years, was the eyes and ears of the community for women in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Joyce Hancock, former President of the Provincial Advisory Council and member of the Feminist Coalition. “The office was also instrumental in assisting women in this province to access resources for
programs which support women on the ground.”
In Thunder Bay, where another Status of Women office will be closing, the response was similar. “For more than 30 years, the Northern Ontario office for Status of Women Canada has been our life line,” said Gwen O’Reilly with the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Action Group.
“The office provided critical support to francophone, Aboriginal, rural and other women’s groups addressing poverty, violence, access to justice, and economic development. The office has also played a particularly significant role in supporting Aboriginal women’s groups to increase their role in community and regional leadership ”
As of April 1 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia will have no SWC offices. Ontario will lose all four offices outside of Ottawa, and Québec will lose one of two. No plans have been announced to increase the staff complement in the remaining offices.
The move contradicts an election statement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to respect and promote women’s human rights. It is also inconsistent with the federal government’s commitment to better meet the needs of local women.
In British Columbia, where over seventy five community groups have provided critical support to women with the assistance of their local Status of Women Canada office, women were astonished by the news. “A local office with skilled staff people who understand this province cannot be replaced with a telephone number in Alberta”, said Shauna Paull, co-chair of a BC coalition on human rights and the trafficking of women.
“Clearly, this government has a deep animosity for women who advocate, in groups, to defend or promote the principle of women’s equality,” added Shelagh Day, FAFIA Co-chair. “The closure of twelve offices is an extreme measure to make sure that women are cut off from meaningful input into public policy.”
For more information, contact:
FAFIA in Ottawa at 613-232-9505, x222 or 613-292-7941 (cell) or Charlotte Thibault in Montréal at 514-849-6957.