How Stevie and his RepubliCons celebrate IWD.

Notice has been served to the United Nations, in the form of an intent to file a formal complaint regarding the removal of remove the right of public sector workers to file pay equity complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

"We just heard Helena Guergis speak to the UN Committee of the Status ofWomen, touting the Harper government's supposed record on women's rights. It's appalling that she would set foot on an international stage to make claims about women's equality while the government is in the midst of implementing policies that are trampling women's equality rights at home," said Patty Ducharme, PSAC's National Executive Vice President. The signatories to the "notice of communication" will work together in the coming weeks to formalize their complaint and submit it to the United Nations. "We will not sit back and watch as our government retreats from its international obligations and undermines women's equality rights," said Robyn Benson, Regional Executive Vice-President, responsible for women's issues at PSAC.

More information about how the bill introduced and passed by Stevie's RepubliCon government represents a systemic attack against women’s equality rights can be found in this document:

...several reforms proposed in this bill quite simply have no budgetary ramifications: for example, federal government spokespersons have admitted that they have not estimated the costs or savings related to the new pay equity regime for the federal public sector that is being introduced by this bill. There was no significant consultation with trade unions, women’s groups and other civil society actors before introducing these reforms. In addition, the gender-based impact of these reforms were not taken into account ...

This is how the RepubliCons merrily observe International Women's Day.

Soccer Mom Budget

I have nothing against women who can afford to stay home and raise their kids, or those who can follow a successful career outside their home and afford a nanny or other costly daycare. However, they are not the majority of women.

The budget conjured up by Harper and Flaherty, under threat from a potential coalition government, does not address the needs of the most vulnerable, and that includes many Canadian women.

The income tax cuts will mostly help fairly affluent households. Upping the "baby bonus" amounts will not address the need of affordable day care and is just another perk for affluent households. Ditto for tax credits in support of kids' hockey camps and piano lessons. The "cottage deck" initiative does nothing to provide affordable housing for low income, fixed income, under-employed, unemployed and unable to work women across this country. There is also the failure to change Employment Insurance eligibility to provide income relief to many women who work in jobs that make them ineligible or hold onto part-time work that doesn't allow them to access the program.

I didn't expect better from Harper. Nor did I expect him to respect pay equity. You only have to look at the list of resolutions passed at the last Conservative Party convention to recognize how despised women's rights are in his party.

What really burns is to recognize that neither pay equity nor the failure to address the needs of the most vulnerable was not considered a "poison pill" by the official opposition.

Sadly, I was hoping that Ignatieff would prove me wrong and display some courage. Unfortunately, I was wrong. It seems that vulnerability is an abstract concept for this Ivy League "human rights" expert.

Thanks to the Regina Mom, who reminded many of us that Anita Neville is the LPC critic for Status of Women, I fired off this letter:

Dear Ms. Neville,

I live in a riding adjacent to yours so I am not writing as one of your constituents but as a concerned Canadian woman. I am writing to you today since you are the Liberal critic responsible for the status of women.

The budget presented by Harper's Conservative government is a failed attempt at addressing the severe recession we are entering. Mr. Ignatieff seems to recognize this but still insists on supporting it with the proviso of periodic report cards. This is a meaningless gesture that does nothing to protect the most vulnerable, which includes many women across Canada. This budget provides little of no relief for low income, single income, unemployed and working women.

Those who are fortunate enough to still have jobs need meaningful childcare supports, something former PM Martin recognized but didn't act upon fast enough. Those without jobs or earning low incomes need refundable tax credit mechanisms to supplement household income and not increases in income exemptions and bracketing that fail to provide women with non-taxable incomes little relief. Many of the women who will lose their jobs will not qualify for EI benefits based on the current system. And lose their jobs they will since most women are employed in the retail and services sectors (including health care) and the taxation and economic stimulus measures will not create very many opportunities or protect jobs in these sectors.

But what really galls me is that the Liberals have failed to demand a reversal of the government's attack on pay equity. We have known that this was on the table since Flaherty first presented his economic update in November. Failing to demand that this loathsome and regressive move be struck from the budget is reprehensible. While President Obama moves the US a step forward, PM Harper with support of the official opposition moves Canada two steps backwards.

I beg of you that you vote with your conscience and engage your caucus to re-examine their official position. This is not the time to play petty politics.

Yours respectfully,

Beijing York

Cross-posted at Resettle THIS!

Pay Equity for Blob Blogging Wingnut.

When LuLu posted about Suzie ALL-CAPS latest dumbassitude, who knew that the comments would foment a ground swell of agitation, demanding that SHE (also known as Blob Blogging Wingnut) receive the same monetary compensation as HER rightwingnutter male homologues. As sooey says:

"Gee, Mark Steyn and David Warren get paid big bucks to say the same stupid shit. Suzanne should go after some pay equity."

There is of course a teeny problem with the notion of demanding justice for Blob Blogging Wingnut since she is so virulently anti-feminist. We wouldn't want to be forcing the principle of fairness with regards to blogging production, against HER will, would we? After all, does SHE try to force HER ideological beliefs on other women? Thus we at DAMMIT JANET! want to be MASSIVELY democratic about the process of agitating for equal pay for work of equal value for Blob Blogging Wingnut.

So we've started a poll in the sidebar. If you feel that SHE deserves to be paid the same remuneration as HER male equivalents who are blogging the same inane, inept, vapid, vacuous and obfuscating crap - vote yes to question #1. If you feel that HER male equivalents should be paid the same stipend as Blob Blogging Wingnut, which is a BIG FAT nothing - vote yes to question #2.

My suggestion is that you hurry though, in posting your answer. Stevie and his RepubliCons are planning to abolish pay equity, as directed by the membership of the ReformaTory Party at their Winnipeg convention in November 2008. You may recall it was one of the points that Flaherty presented in his budget forecast that precipated a major political crisis and a stand-off between the Progressive Coalition and the forces of evil Cons.