The Manitoba Women's Newspaper Daycare Officials Express Optimism
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the Manitoba Women’s newspaper Daycare officials express oPtimism Lyon government will increase funding by $4 million; nearly a 100% increase. I By Mary Jo Quarry DAY CARE WORKERS and spokespersons for the coalition on day care expressed very guarded but potentially favorable reactions to the Lyon government's addition of $4 million to its $5.3 million dollar day care budget. In the budget tabled May 13, Finance Minister Don directors hadn't established the additional $1 charge because many parents couldn't afford it. making cuts in essential spending two-tier fee structure within a on food and shelter." The centre. Directors of several February announcement of fee centres contacted said they had increase also raised the basic not established the additional $1 income level at which full subsidies are available for one charge because they knew many child by eight per cent, to $9,550 of the parents could not afford it. for a two-parent family from Norma McCormick, director of $8,840 the Day Nursery at the Under the cover: which their own children don't waiting women candidates line up |ists. have access.' ' Norma McCormick, of the Health Members of the Coalition met in for nominations ........... Sciences Centre Day Nursery, said early May to protest the shortage p. 3 confessions of a cocktail she could close out her entire of Day Care spaces and other enrollment, fill the centre from her problems with the program. It 5 waitress .................. waiting list and still have children was an evening session to which P" the latest in films waiting. all three major political parties (Hers is the only centre which about women ............. were invited to send Did the premier take note of accepts children under two). representatives. p. 7 Dorothy Keith, director of the young demonstrator? Conservative Minister of Broadway Avenue unit of Day a shocking look at what the Community Services George Nursery " Centre, estimated that Both Westbury and Doern future holds for secretarial she could accept an additional 100 Minaker sent word that he had a prior commitment, and had no expressed support in principal I children over the course of a a year with the major recommenda- if she were able to say ,,yes" to one appear in his place. and clerical work in the every parent at the time of their June Westbury (Ft. Rouge) the requests for their children's use of tions of the Coalition, which office .................... only Liberal in the Legislature generally follow those the facility. and one of two women MLA's, contained in a study p. 8 and more The critical factor about the attended. Russ Doern completed for the United Way shortage of spaces, according (Elmwood) represented the NDP. in 1978. Manitoba Women's Newspaper, June 1980, Page 2 NelliGrams about 15 per cent of the one out of every four women not used. Perhaps with this had been a victm of sexual Helen Sister, Ottawa's female workforce are single, logic in mind, it has recently harassment when a man is sexually abused' before the Employment Opportunities divorced or separated and Director, was fired March 3, been placed his hand under her age of eighteen 75 per cent of must support themselves and without being told the reasons for announced that Jorgenson is dress and felt her genitals. the assailants are known to their families on these low her dismissal. Ottawa mayor, presently allowing use of the After thinking about it for a the women, 35 per cent are wages. Despite this, from Marion Dewar, was out of town chemical in northern Manitoba. couple of days, the woman 1974 to 1976 in Ontario, only male family members when the firing took place, but MP Evelyn Gigantes thought made signs condemning this in 1979, sexual assault subsequently said she supported $71,000 was won in equal pay the high incidence of women sexual harassment and the decision. It seemed that Slater settlements involving 190 centres worked with 4000 being convicted for perpetrating distributed them throughout the was taking her job too seriously. women. women and children who had fraud in Ontario resulted from office. No woman in that As a result, the National Action "Employment ]Problems for been sexually abused women insufficient mother's allowance particular office has ever been Committee on the Status of Women" was dropped from who are raped and become incomes. (In Ontario, a mother bothered again. Women has asked its Ottawa the agenda of the proposed pregnant have difficulty members to boycott filling the job. with two children receives The first collective agreement provincial premiers' Warner Jorgenson, provincial $6,000 annually. This is about ever negotiated with Radio obtaining abortions in rural conference last December. Environment Minister, says he is $3,000 below the government Shack, a subsidiary of the areas of Canada women and The premiers had requested planning to seek a ban on the established poverty line). When Texas-based Tandy children who have been that the item not be included chemical 2,4,5-T, even though she suggested Keith Norton, Corporation, was recently sexually assaulted : still find there is no evidence of it causing on the agenda even though Ontario Minister of Community signed in Battle, Ontario after a themselves to be victims of health problems in Manitoba. The the wage gap between men and Social Services, look into yearlong strike. The one-year U.S. Environment Protection and women is widening, and police, hospital, and court changing policies in this area contract gives the workers Agency discovered an unusually women's unemployment rate systems that do not believe and raise the amounts to (mostly women) a 7% increase high number of miscarriaged continues to be high. Do the women when. they -many poverty levels, he replied that immediately and a further 5% about six weeks after spraying the premiers intend to discuss it members of the public still chemical in an Oregon town. The he didn't believe the matter was in August. The workers had this August when they meet in believe women who have chemical is used as a brush-killer one that ought to be a strong public support, including Winnipeg? The Canadian been raped 'asked for it on Manitoba highway allows. preoccupation of his ministry. a consumer boycott of Radio Association of Sexual Assault Jorgenson qualified his statement He felt, because there were Shack stores. Two Quebec Rape Crisis held its fifth annual conference by saying that he is conducting a more criminal offences being Shelley Acheson, of the Centres, one in Sherbrooke - survey to find out how many at the University of Manitoba committed, that it was a simple Ontario Federation of Labor, and the other in Trois Rivieres, government departments plan to from May 16 to May 19. The matter told delegates at the recent had to close in December for use 2,4,5-T, and how many association has 35 member of administrating justice. Canadian Labor Congress already have the chemical on centres working collectively forlack of funds. At the Canadian Labor convention in Winnipeg that order. It seems Jorgenson is the prevention and eradication" Other centres in the province Congress held in Winnipeg in there are still 62.3 per cent of concerned that the provincial ol rape and sexual assault. will have to cutback on government will have a problem di early May, a woman from B.C. women in the Canadian They have a lot of hard work services by as much as 75% Government Employees union workforce who hold jobs in the ahead because statistics on because a grant of $200,000 silenced the noisy convention clerical, sales and service jobs violence against women are was not received from the e floor with her account of an historically occupied by still staggering. Ministry of Social Affairs - to incident of sexual harassment females. She said the average a woman is raped every in the workplace. wage for women workers in help keep the centres going. seventeen minutes in Canada She spoke of a woman who Canada is $8144 as compared Compiled by Irene Todd with $15.180 for men. But r Oliver & Derksen _ Law Offices Jill D. Oliver, LL.B. Mary Rose Derksen, B.A. LL.B. Josephine M. Young, B.A. LL.B. 433 Stradbrook Aveanue 203-333A Madm Street, 4 The Native Women's Transition Centre Wanted will be holding its first annual meeting on Thurs- Volunteers for The Manitoba Women's Newspaper day, June 26 at 266 Patrick Street from 11:30 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. We still need writers and contacts from areas in Northern Manitoba, Brandon, rural Manitoba and Winnipeg. Input from these areas will Speaker: Emma LaRoque, professor of establish us as a true Manitoba voice on feminist issues. Native Studies Dept. at the U. of M. and author of Defeathering the Indians. Also need are volunteers interested in fund-raising, advertising, dis- Topic: The needs of Native Women and Children Luncheon is $3.00. Tickets available by calling 786-1297, tribution, photography, and production. 783-5237, or 582-8387. For more information, please contact: Social Evening sponsored by Native Women's Transition Centre w~ll be held at the Women's Building, 730 Alexander Debbie Holmberg 772-8170 Avenue on June 13, 1980 at 8:00 P.M. Admission: $4.00 or Tanya Lester 453-7576 II I The Manitoba Women's Newspaper, June 1980 Page 3 ing seats of Point Douglas and Wellington, both presently held by the NDP. Father Donald Malinowski, the present incumbent in Point Douglas, and Jim Ramsay, a local accountant, have declared for the nomination as well, and Logan Incumbent Bill Jenkins has not announced his intentions.