Caught between the Devil and the deep blue v.

Shall we shed a tear for Helena Guergis? Should we have empathy for her extremely awkward position, vis-à-vis a female electorate that has not warmed up to Stephen Harper and his nouveau-Cons?

First: this strident, shrieeeking, incensed tirade in R.E.A.L. women of Canada's May / June newsletter.

One would think that elected conservatives would be able to resist the feminist ideology, which is a very leftist, Marxist, anti-family movement (see “Feminism in Canada” on our web site.) With the emotional appeal of portraying women as perpetual victims, the sisterhood seems able to convert even Conservative MP's who were elected to combat the nanny state as embodied by Liberal and Socialist NDP enthusiasts. For example, on the occasion of International Women's Day, March 8, 2009, the Minister for Status of Women Helena Guergis (CPC) confirmed that “Our Government increased funding to Status of Women programs by 42%, bringing it to its highest ever level....”. In response to a question from radical feminist MP Irene Matthyssen (London-Fanshaw, NDP) Guergis stated “I think the member will be pleased to know that the number of organizations now receiving funding through Status of Women has increased 69% (Hansard, February 2, 2009, page 223). In her address to the 53rd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, Minister Guergis stated, “I would like to commend the Secretary-General for his report and appreciate that he has recognized the multiple dimensions of the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, both in the home and outside of it.” What's the United Nations doing in the home?

It blathers venomously on and on and on in that vein.

Next: now there has to be a horse-and-pony show, arranged to placate "R.E.A.L womenists". How can the Con spinners and prevaricators hope to pull this off? Easy - by making pronouncements that somehow misrepresent the goals and the methods of the Regroupement des femmes de la région de Matane. This tactic should not be a surprise to anyone, especially to the usually savvy media. And then there were the Progressive Bloggers - some seemed unable to distinguish between the Cons' incoherent glurge and a well-designed feminist project.

Ah-ha. The other shoe dropped. It makes me wonder if the choice of projects are connected to the ridings they're in and how that plays into the Con strategy to capture women's votes.

Who will Harper try to please? The Devil (R.E.A.L. women of Canada) or the deep blue v. - a considerable demographic group of moderate (sometimes supportive of Liberals, sometimes supportive of the party previously known as the Progressive Conservatives) female electorate.

Say, wasn't there a "R.E.A.L womenist" who ran as a candidate for Harper's Cons in the last federal election? How did that work out for you, Stevie? Oops.

Those who might want to know more about the Con's attempt to co-opt and spin the Matane women's project could read the discussion at the Bread'n'Roses thread here.