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Budget2010
Budget Leaves Women
Out
Canadian Federation of University
Women
OTTAWA, March 4, 2010 - "Thursday's budget offers very little
support for women. In fact it has really left women behind,"
says Susan Russell, Executive Director of the Canadian Federation
of University Women (CFUW). Ms. Russell concluded, "On the issues
that would lift women out of economic recession and poverty this
budget is shamefully silent."
The budget, which has been described as satisfactory by the
business community can only be given a failing grade by women
because it fails to consider the gender bias inherent in the
stimulus spending. This bias was revealed in a study conducted by
Queen's Professor, Kathleen Lahey this week. The study showed
that women have only received about 7 to 22 per cent of federal
infrastructure spending, as the spending has been focused in
physical infrastructure projects where women are underrepresented
in employment. Increased spending in social infrastructure and
mandated employment equity in projects funded by the stimulus would
begin to reverse this bias. Canada cannot begin to recover
economically if half of its population is left behind.
Much-needed childcare spaces were not included in the budget.
While increasing the child tax benefit for single parents may help
some families, many women find it difficult to access quality
childcare and when they do, it is a serious financial burden that
limits their ability to participate in the workforce. The
government has again missed out on an opportunity to provide
economic stimulus though providing the social infrastructure of
childcare that would benefit and employ women across the
country.
The additional funding for ending violence against Aboriginal
Women must be allocated to the Sisters in Spirit Initiative.
The CFUW calls on the government to allocate this funding to the
Sisters in Spirit immediately.
Finance Minister Flaherty predicted that his budget would create
a, "… a Canada in which our children and grandchildren will surpass
us." Yet without a strategy to end the poverty experienced by
almost 1 child in 6 in Canada this will not happen. Without
spending in key areas like childcare and a national housing
strategy, women's economic inequality will continue. This budget
has failed to invest in women and to take on the work of building a
prosperous and inclusive future for all Canadians.
CFUW is a non-partisan, voluntary, self-funded, non-governmental
organization of about 10,000 women university graduates in 118
Clubs across Canada. CFUW works to improve the status of
women and girls, education, peace, and human rights. CFUW
holds special consultative status at the United Nations and serves
on the Sectoral Committee on Education of the Canadian Commission
for UNESCO. CFUW is the largest of 79 national affiliates of
the International Federation of University Women (IFUW).
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Contact: Susan Russell, Executive Director,
Canadian Federation of University Women
613 234 8252
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