Canadian politics

Jul 132013
 

OTTAWA— Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

“The difficulty of collecting data about violence against women has been a barrier to progress in ending that violence,” says the study’s author Kate McInturff. “However, the data that does exist tells us three things very clearly: this problem is big, it comes at a high cost, and we are making little or no progress in putting a stop to it.”

The study estimates the combined cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is $334 per person per year in Canada. This puts the cost of these crimes on par with the cost of the use of illegal drugs in Canada (an estimated $262 per person) or the cost of smoking (an estimated $541 per person). Federal public spending to address violence against women, on the other hand, amounted to $2.77 per person for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

“We can put an end to violence against women. Federal and provincial governments have an important role to play in doing so,” says McInturff. “In order to be more effective, we need more information about the nature and scope of the problem, a coherent and coordinated plan to address the problem, and adequate political, financial, and human resources put behind that plan.”

The study makes several recommendations on how to improve the situation, including: the implementation of regular, sensitive, detailed surveys of incidence of sexual assault and intimate partner violence; and a coherent, coordinated, well-resourced national action plan to address violence against women.

“This problem affects too many Canadians and comes with too great a personal and public cost for Canada to continue on its current path. Without a significant investment of political, financial, and human resources, we will see levels of violence against women continue to remain at the current level. Canada can do better. Millions of Canadians and billions of dollars depend on it,” McInturff concludes.

–30–

The Gap in the Gender Gap: Violence Against Women in Canada is available on the CCPA website at http://policyalternatives.ca

– See more at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/canada-lacks-coherent-response-end-violence-against-women-study#sthash.31vUJJYa.dpuf

OTTAWA— Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

“The difficulty of collecting data about violence against women has been a barrier to progress in ending that violence,” says the study’s author Kate McInturff. “However, the data that does exist tells us three things very clearly: this problem is big, it comes at a high cost, and we are making little or no progress in putting a stop to it.”

The study estimates the combined cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is $334 per person per year in Canada. This puts the cost of these crimes on par with the cost of the use of illegal drugs in Canada (an estimated $262 per person) or the cost of smoking (an estimated $541 per person). Federal public spending to address violence against women, on the other hand, amounted to $2.77 per person for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

“We can put an end to violence against women. Federal and provincial governments have an important role to play in doing so,” says McInturff. “In order to be more effective, we need more information about the nature and scope of the problem, a coherent and coordinated plan to address the problem, and adequate political, financial, and human resources put behind that plan.”

The study makes several recommendations on how to improve the situation, including: the implementation of regular, sensitive, detailed surveys of incidence of sexual assault and intimate partner violence; and a coherent, coordinated, well-resourced national action plan to address violence against women.

“This problem affects too many Canadians and comes with too great a personal and public cost for Canada to continue on its current path. Without a significant investment of political, financial, and human resources, we will see levels of violence against women continue to remain at the current level. Canada can do better. Millions of Canadians and billions of dollars depend on it,” McInturff concludes.

–30–

The Gap in the Gender Gap: Violence Against Women in Canada is available on the CCPA website at http://policyalternatives.ca

– See more at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/canada-lacks-coherent-response-end-violence-against-women-study#sthash.31vUJJYa.dpuf

OTTAWA— Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

“The difficulty of collecting data about violence against women has been a barrier to progress in ending that violence,” says the study’s author Kate McInturff. “However, the data that does exist tells us three things very clearly: this problem is big, it comes at a high cost, and we are making little or no progress in putting a stop to it.”

The study estimates the combined cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is $334 per person per year in Canada. This puts the cost of these crimes on par with the cost of the use of illegal drugs in Canada (an estimated $262 per person) or the cost of smoking (an estimated $541 per person). Federal public spending to address violence against women, on the other hand, amounted to $2.77 per person for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

“We can put an end to violence against women. Federal and provincial governments have an important role to play in doing so,” says McInturff. “In order to be more effective, we need more information about the nature and scope of the problem, a coherent and coordinated plan to address the problem, and adequate political, financial, and human resources put behind that plan.”

The study makes several recommendations on how to improve the situation, including: the implementation of regular, sensitive, detailed surveys of incidence of sexual assault and intimate partner violence; and a coherent, coordinated, well-resourced national action plan to address violence against women.

“This problem affects too many Canadians and comes with too great a personal and public cost for Canada to continue on its current path. Without a significant investment of political, financial, and human resources, we will see levels of violence against women continue to remain at the current level. Canada can do better. Millions of Canadians and billions of dollars depend on it,” McInturff concludes.

–30–

The Gap in the Gender Gap: Violence Against Women in Canada is available on the CCPA website at http://policyalternatives.ca

– See more at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/canada-lacks-coherent-response-end-violence-against-women-study#sthash.31vUJJYa.dpuf

OTTAWA— Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

“The difficulty of collecting data about violence against women has been a barrier to progress in ending that violence,” says the study’s author Kate McInturff. “However, the data that does exist tells us three things very clearly: this problem is big, it comes at a high cost, and we are making little or no progress in putting a stop to it.”

The study estimates the combined cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is $334 per person per year in Canada. This puts the cost of these crimes on par with the cost of the use of illegal drugs in Canada (an estimated $262 per person) or the cost of smoking (an estimated $541 per person). Federal public spending to address violence against women, on the other hand, amounted to $2.77 per person for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

“We can put an end to violence against women. Federal and provincial governments have an important role to play in doing so,” says McInturff. “In order to be more effective, we need more information about the nature and scope of the problem, a coherent and coordinated plan to address the problem, and adequate political, financial, and human resources put behind that plan.”

The study makes several recommendations on how to improve the situation, including: the implementation of regular, sensitive, detailed surveys of incidence of sexual assault and intimate partner violence; and a coherent, coordinated, well-resourced national action plan to address violence against women.

“This problem affects too many Canadians and comes with too great a personal and public cost for Canada to continue on its current path. Without a significant investment of political, financial, and human resources, we will see levels of violence against women continue to remain at the current level. Canada can do better. Millions of Canadians and billions of dollars depend on it,” McInturff concludes.

–30–

The Gap in the Gender Gap: Violence Against Women in Canada is available on the CCPA website at http://policyalternatives.ca

– See more at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/canada-lacks-coherent-response-end-violence-against-women-study#sthash.31vUJJYa.dpuf

OTTAWA— Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

“The difficulty of collecting data about violence against women has been a barrier to progress in ending that violence,” says the study’s author Kate McInturff. “However, the data that does exist tells us three things very clearly: this problem is big, it comes at a high cost, and we are making little or no progress in putting a stop to it.”

The study estimates the combined cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is $334 per person per year in Canada. This puts the cost of these crimes on par with the cost of the use of illegal drugs in Canada (an estimated $262 per person) or the cost of smoking (an estimated $541 per person). Federal public spending to address violence against women, on the other hand, amounted to $2.77 per person for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

“We can put an end to violence against women. Federal and provincial governments have an important role to play in doing so,” says McInturff. “In order to be more effective, we need more information about the nature and scope of the problem, a coherent and coordinated plan to address the problem, and adequate political, financial, and human resources put behind that plan.”

The study makes several recommendations on how to improve the situation, including: the implementation of regular, sensitive, detailed surveys of incidence of sexual assault and intimate partner violence; and a coherent, coordinated, well-resourced national action plan to address violence against women.

“This problem affects too many Canadians and comes with too great a personal and public cost for Canada to continue on its current path. Without a significant investment of political, financial, and human resources, we will see levels of violence against women continue to remain at the current level. Canada can do better. Millions of Canadians and billions of dollars depend on it,” McInturff concludes.

–30–

The Gap in the Gender Gap: Violence Against Women in Canada is available on the CCPA website at http://policyalternatives.ca

– See more at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/canada-lacks-coherent-response-end-violence-against-women-study#sthash.31vUJJYa.dpuf

Canada lacks coherent response to violence against women.

from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

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Jul 132013
 

Blame BC Liberal-appointed Board of Directors.

by Bill Tieleman

This is not the first surprise I've had from BC Hydro and I can tell you I'm pretty sure it's not gonna be the last one… when I have to I'm going to read them the riot act."
– Energy Minister Bill Bennett, July 4, 2013.

If Bill Bennett wants to get to the bottom of BC Hydro's lack of disaster preparedness and huge cost overruns forcing big rate increases for consumers, he doesn't need to read the riot act.  Just read the BC Hydro Board of Directors list and then ask any one of the many BC Liberal Party donors and insiders appointed by his government.

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Jul 082013
 

Rail accidents increase after job cuts, de-regulation.

by Robyn Benson

Five people confirmed dead. Forty people missing, some of whom might have been literally vapourized. Shops, a crowded drinking spot, the library, the local archives — the downtown core was ripped away, erased.

It’s obviously too soon to say precisely what caused the horrific rail tragedy still unfolding in the Quebec town of Lac-Megantic. A defective brake? Negligence? Poorly designed oil shipment cars? Lax safety inspections and Transit Canada oversight? A combination of these and other factors? We’ll be able to speak with more confidence after the inevitable inquiry.

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Jul 082013
 

Discovery comes as First Nations gather for healing walk from Fort MacMurray.

from the Athabasca Chipewayan First Nation

FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta, July 7, 2013 — The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is demanding answers and action from the Alberta government following reports of a large, possibly petrochemical, spill into the Athabasca River. The large visible peteochemical sheen may be from a previous spill that regulators failed to contain or from a new release. Either way it has been left unaddressed and has forced the community to close the community's water intake.
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Jul 072013
 

Province intervenes, appoints arbitrator to choose one offer or the other.

by Stephen Kimber

Now that the government has legislatively punted the possibility of a paramedics strike into the hands of a pick-one arbitrator — who will have to choose one of the dueling union and management last-best offers for wages and working conditions over the next three to five years — it’s time to ask ourselves a question.  

What’s wrong with this picture?
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Jul 042013
 
PersonThrowingWaterBottle

Drought spurs call to conserve aquifer, stop drawing water to bottle and sell.

from Sumofus.org

ONTARIO, July 3, 2013 — More than 140,000 consumers in Canada and across the globe are joining with the global corporate watchdog, SumOfUs.org demanding that Nestlé cut back on water pumping during drought conditions for their operations in Aberfoyle, Ontario.

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Jul 032013
 
NaheedNenshi

Calgary's mayor pulls city through a tough time.

by Gillian Steward

The disastrous Calgary flood could easily have ruined Mayor Naheed Nenshi’s political career. After all, he is a rookie who had never held political office until he was elected mayor of Calgary in 2010. And it’s not as though before that he had any experience navigating a city of over a million people through a flash flood. Who does?

But Nenshi not only held his ground during the disaster, he handled it so well — with such calm determination, competence and compassion — that he is more popular than ever.

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Jun 272013
 

Quebec's short-lived policy points to need for more education on multiculturalism. 

by Mehdi Rizvi

The Quebec Soccer Federation has reversed its ban on players wearing turbans on the pitch, saying it  is pleased with Fédération Internationale de Football Association’s  (FIFA) clarification on the issue and it’s ”deeply sorry” if anyone was offended.”  Thus ended the game between supporters and opponents of the issue, as  recently played on Quebec soccer fields.

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