NAC Attends Pre-Budget Consultations
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Feminist ACTION NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Vol. 5 No. 2 December, 1990 344 Bloor St. West, #505, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3A7 NAC Attends Pre-Budget Consultations Ruth Rose, Campaign Committee on the Future of State for Finance John McDermid along with a half Women's Employment dozen other women’s groups. Here are some ex tracts (or summaries) from the brief presented. On November 2, along with other social policy groups, Judy Rebick and Marjorie Cohen participated in pre-budget The major budget initiatives of this government, which Inside: consultations with Minister of Finance Michael Wilson. On reduced real spending on government programs and November 7, Judy ReDICK and Huguette Léger met with increased taxes on individuals while reducing them for Secretary of corporations, reflect a serious inability to understand Funding for Women’s the real needs of Canadians and to design economic Centers strategies to deal with them. The most serious problems Canadians face are high rates of The GST and the Senate President's Report unemployment, gross regional disparities, inequalities Judy Rebick between people, and inadequate social! services. Aboriginal Summer Fall has been an intensive period for NAC. We nave Even the radical reductions in real government been involved in a series of initiatives on important expenditures on programs have not solved the issues. In September, NAC, in coalition with problem of the $10 billion per year which has been Choice aboriginal, child poverty, labour and childcare added to the federal deficit because of the increase organizations wrote and presented a paper on child in interest rates since 1987. Government spending poverty in Canada challenging Prime Minister Brian on programs Is not out of control, as is often the The Ontario Election News Mulroney to put his money where his mouth is on the which the business sector and government from the Regions… and Rights of the Child and to end child poverty in Canada. project. it is government, not consumers or workers, which Is more At the end of September, NAC participated in the Causing prices to escalate. The additional sales taxes founding conference of the National Employment introduced in previous budgets and higher interest rates, Equity Network, a coalition of women, visible minority, which are supposed to comDat inflation, are the main contributors to inflation. a national child care program: tax breaks, small payments to aboriginal and disabled people’s groups and labour. increasingly, Our Tears about the effects of the individuals, and support for commercial care centres do not The conference of 100 diverse delegates adopted address the serious problem which exists and the shortage of common positions on the measures needed to tree Trade Agreement are shown to be well found- child care spaces. implement mandatory employment equity on the ed. Job losses have been substantial and are fo- federal level. in what must be the most petty decision cused in precisely those industries where women unemployment insurance: the changes which are about of Secretary of State in living memory, funding was predominate in the manufacturing sector... Busi- to be implemented will be particularly harmful to women denied to the conference at the 11th hour after ness interests have pressured government to reduce in a time of rising unemployment; the government assurances that funding would be forthcoming. Many spending on social programs... We have lost every withdrawal from the funding of the program is of the delegates who were on social assistance had to major trade panel decision from that dealing with particularly distressing. borrow money to pay tor their hotels and get home. fishing in B.C. to that dealing with steel in Sydney... Our current account deficit for 1989 was $20 bil- GST, an inflationary and regressive tax: women will in October, NAC participated in the banner project, where lion and will be greater this year... We urge this pe particularly affected because of our dispropor- women across Canada designed more than 150 banners government to revoke this agreement and to tion among the poor and near-poor; the credit is displayed on Parliament Hill at the same time as the retrain from joining the free trade negotiations too low and not fully indexed. with Mexico. Common-wealth Conference of Ministers Responsible for Cuts to the women’s programs: a minimum budg- Women’s Issues. It was an impressive display of the Each year, NAC has reiterated the policies which et for women’s programs should be equal to $2 for strength and breadth of the women’s movement. are needed to improve the quality of life for wom- every woman in Canada. Anotner important October event was NAC’s participation en, children and men in Canada. Among these are: (continued on page 2) with other anti-free trade activists in the Common Frontiers conference in Mexico. The CanaGian delegation came back more convinced than ever that free trade with Mexico will be a disaster for both Canadians and Mexicans. NAC also joined with the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the National Farmers’ Union in a legal intervention in court cases challenging Mulroney's right to appoint eight extra senators to push through the GST. (continued on page 3) One of the 150 banners made by women, unfurled on Parliament Hill, October 9, 1990 (Photo by Amy Gotlieb) Michere Rouleau addressing Oka rally in support of the Mo- hawks, July 29, 1990 (Photo by Debbie Dedam, Québec Native Women's Association) Pour accommoder les francophones et anglophones, le FAF est plié afin que les textes francais et anglais apparaissent alternativement sur la première page. Pour trouver I‘autre langue officielle, ouvrez FAF et tournez-le a l’envers. NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Vol. 5 No. 2 December, 1990 The Banner Project Feminist ACTION 150 Banners Speak The Vol. 5 No. 2 Truth About Women s Lives December 1990 Feminist ACTION is a publication of the National Bonnie Slade and Alice de Woiff not be tolerated by Canadian women in silence. Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC), Over 150 banners made by women’s groups from The Banner Project was planned by a number of 344 Bloor St. West, suite 505, Toronto, Ont. M55 3A/ across Canada were unfurled in front of Parliament national groups as a way to continue the public Buildings on October 9, and then paraded through the demonstration of opposition to funding cuts and to ISSN 0831 - 33// halls of the West Block. challenge the government's on Canadian women. Approximately 100 women assembled on Parliament We realized that in the midst of a series of measures This issue is being published with the collaboration of Hill to hold the banners, in spite of overcast and rainy that have been opposed by women across the members of the National Executive Board and Staff of NAC. conditions. A high spirited group of women from country - funding cuts, abortion, unemployment insurance, and GST legislation - the federal Montreal organized the display of Banners on the lawn Editorial Committee: Marguerite Anderson, beside the Peace Flame (150 wet D=banners are government was hosting the third meeting of the Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women’s Lynn Kaye, Madeleine Parent, Michelle heavy) and then moved inside for a press conference. Séguin Many of the banners had been previously shown at Affairs. The budget for this event was $392,000, and public actions in Vancouver, Regina, Halifax, Sudbury, it was held October 8th to 11 in Ottawa. The material OFT. Toronto, St. Jonn’s, and Yellowknife. prepared in advance for this event suggested that Claudine Vivier, Madeleine Parent, Canadian women Nave very few difficulties. Publications Coordinator: Julie-Anne The banners depicted the vitality of the women’s Le Gras movement and the reality of the lives of Canadian Canadian women's groups were not consulted by ‘‘our’’ women. They expressed our concerns about violence, delegation before the conference (to find out the actual Producer: abortion, poverty, literacy, employment equity, situation of Canadian women). The Banner Project Piece de Résistance Ltée.., militarism, the GST, racism, child care and funding proposed an alternative way for every women’s group Edmonton, Alberta cuts. They were made in communities across the in the country to express the particular concerns of their Feminist ACTION is published five times a year. country, including Bay St. George, Bathurst, Baie community, to describe the reality of their lives, and to Comeau, Kenora, Moose Jaw, Fort Mc Murray, Hay speak the truth about the lives of Canadian women. on Rates: River, Yellowknife and Port Alberni. They were made Marie Lynn Tremblay, of Réseau national action individual, $15.00 by groups of organized working women, nurses, education des femmes, is to be credited with the idea of institutions, U.S., Overseas, $25.00 immigrant women, students, aboriginal women, the banners, ana for knowing that women across the women on assistance, women in prison as well as country would respond well to the project. Renewal Announcement It is very costly to send several members of women s centres, transition houses, renewal notices. We are asking you to show your support by journals, provincial and national organizations. While some of the banners have been returned, renewing your Friends of NAC or subscription status today. others will be displayed at the Women anc the State This diverse ana creative response was very ex- Conference, University of Ottawa, Nov. 1-2, 1990. How to read the address label citing, and felt like a continuation of the spirit of The event was photographed and the pictures will The volume and the expiry number of your sub- the fight against funding cuts.