March 8 , 2010: International Women's Day
On this International Women’s Day, the Canadian Labour Congress calls on all workers to act to end the attack on women’s equality rights in Canada.
Late in 2009, Canadians were shocked by the latest assault by the federal government on thirty years of women’s equality gains. Less than a month before commemorative ceremonies marking the 1989 tragedy at École Polytechnique, the conservative government, with help from some opposition members, succeeded in sending Bill C-391, legislation that would eliminate the long-gun registry, closer to becoming law. And with that vote, comes the spectre of erasing the living legacy to the memory of the women who died in that tragic event.
Beginning in 2006 when the Conservatives were first elected, Canada’s slow progress on women’s equality has been slowly pared back, layer by layer, and with stealth and purpose. After scrapping the child care agreements negotiated by the previous government with provinces, the federal government moved on in its first budget to gut Status of Women Canada and cut funding for women’s organizations. Its 2009 budget moved even further to turn the clock back on years of progress, virtually eliminating pay equity for women workers in the federal public service.
This government’s latest move to scrap the long-gun registry is a call to action.
Since its inception, the gun registry has saved lives. The rate of homicides with rifles and shotguns has decreased by 70 per cent since 1991. The gun registry has also been an important tool for tackling domestic violence against women.
The Canadian Labour Congress is launching the next phase in its campaign to defeat Bill C-391. Beginning March 1, and weekly for seven weeks,one conservative Member of Parliament and one opposition MP who voted with the government to scrap the gun registry will hear from Canadians opposed to how they voted on Bill C-391.
Help us send thousands of messages to fourteen parliamentarians who don’t think eliminating the long-gun registry is an attack on women’s rights, and who don’t believe the long gun registry has helped reduce the murder rates of women by shotguns and rifles.
On March 1, visit canadianlabour.ca and join with thousands of workers across the country to send the first two Members of Parliament who voted for C-391 a message – the gun registry has reduced the number of deaths from shotguns and rifles. Help us defeat Bill C-391.