by Jody Dallaire
Stephen Harper`s first order of business when he took office seven years ago on February 6th 2006 – a mere three hours after being sworn in as Prime Minister – was to cancel the Liberal government’s planned national childcare initiative, starting with child care agreements signed between the federal and provincial governments.
by Jody Dallaire
The New Brunswick government recently went through a pay equity exercise, comparing the requirements and the wages of child care, home care and transition house workers on one hand, with two male-dominated jobs, maintenance workers and foremen on the other, to see if the “care” workers were being paid fairly or whether the pay for traditional women’s jobs is still discounted. As usual, the way they asked the question affected the answer they found.
by Jody Dallaire
For the second year in a row, the Moncton YWCA’s Young Women’s Collective is inviting Moncton women to celebrate Galentine’s day on February 14. No, that’s not a typo. I said, “Galentine’s Day” and not “Valentine’s Day”.
By Jody Dallaire
According to Maclean’s magazine, Belleville, Ontario, has the unhappy distinction of having the highest rate of reported sexual assaults per capita, with almost 137 sexual assaults per 100,000 population. But two of the three Canadian cities with the highest sexual assault rates are in New Brunswick: Fredericton and Saint John.
by Jody Dallaire
Childcare has been a political flashpoint in Canada for decades, especially since 2006, when the incoming Conservatives canceled the proposed national childcare program and substituted a monthly family payment of $100 per child. Human Resources Minister Diane Finley caught flack for explaining that the Conservatives oppose any program that would “ensure that parents are forced to have other people raise their children.”
Last October, the UN Committee on Rights of the Child called on Canada to provide free or affordable child care, as part of a report on its ten-year review of Canada’s efforts to comply with the Convention on Rights of the Child. The Committee found Canada lacking, because of new punitive young offenders measures, inadequate services for aboriginal children and other minorities, and insufficient commitment to childcare.
by Jody Dallaire
Overall, 150,000 New Brunswickers (15 percent of full-time workers and 20 percent of part-time workers) do not have prescription drug insurance. Now the NB Advisory Committee on Health Benefits has recommended that the province provide prescription drug insurance, on the same basis as other kinds of insurance. Everyone in the province would benefit, not just those 150,000.
by Jody Dallaire
A recent shopping excursion to buy a new car revealed a new car that Honda is marketing in Japan, especially for women, called the Honda Fit She’s. The She’s comes in popular eye shadow colors: pink, white and brown. It features a windshield that offers wrinkle protection and its air-conditioning will rejuvenate your skin as you drive.
Stop laughing. I kid you not! I guess that Honda figures that its product will resonate with Japanese women. Time will tell if the Honda Fit She’s will survive in a competitive automobile market.
by Jody Dallaire
The New Brunswick government recently took a bold stand, reversing restrictions on novice (read: teen-agers) drivers — and then had to back pedal a scant week later. As the parent of a newly-licensed teen-aged driver, I found the government’s change of direction confusing. So I did my own research — as the government should have done in the first place.
by Jody Dallaire
Last week, the New Brunswick Government’s Speech from the Throne mentioned women, girls and gendered policy. Here are a couple of extracts from the speech: “Your government will continue to work toward an equal and inclusive society where all women, men, girls and boys are able to reach their full potential and thereby contribute to our province’s growth and prosperity… An equal and inclusive society also means a safe society. Violence against women and girls continues to be a priority of your government.”
