Unpublished letter to Victoria News - October 2003

In her letter last week (Oct. 17) about Women's History Month, Lynn
Stephen's, Minister of State for Women's Equality, writes how BC is home
to many political "firsts" for women.

One of "firsts" Stephen's will not mention is that BC is the first
province to be singled out for criticism by a United Nations committee
for their cuts to social programs and the resulting "negative impact on
women". (CEDAW- UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
Against Women, February 03).

Helena Gutteridge, who's biography is called "the Struggle for Social
Justice" must be rolling in her grave for being part of the feature of
women in BC history on the Lynn Stephen's ministry website.

Stephen's political "legacy" is being the terminator of women's centres
and cheerleader of government cuts which inordinately affect women.

In addition, she will also be noted for her obtuse views about women. In
a 2002 interview in the Langley Advance newspaper she stated that if
inequality exists between men and women it is "because of the bad
choices women make" and that income disparity exists because "women want
to work part time" and that poor people just need to "make more money."

On her website, she also staunchly defends cutting people off welfare
because "this is about helping people".
http://www.lynnstephensmla.bc.ca/templates/index.php

Is cutting people aged 60-64 off welfare if they don't find a job
"helping"? (See work requirements for 60-64 year olds at
http://www.mhr.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/2002/60-64_Sept.htm)

Is cutting people with kids off welfare for missing appointments when
they don't have a phone "helping"?

Is putting pregnant women in danger of miscarrying because they can't
get benefits for three weeks after losing a job "helping"?

It is a biological fact that people who have no money for food or
shelter get sick and die. Some will die sooner some will die later but
in either case this government and Lynn Stephen's will interpret this as
"helping" them when in fact these deaths will just help the government
pay for all the tax cuts for the wealthy.

Many of the "single employables" rendered desperate and homeless are
mothers who devoted decades of their lives to raising children.
Continuing the species is onerous, stressful, time intensive hard work,
but this 'hard work' does not make you 'get ahead' even though society
and our economy 'must have' new generations of children to be workers
and consumers.

Poverty, especially how it affects children, is a public health
emergency; medical research shows that the biggest determinant of health
is 'income'. Social spending cuts 'do not' save money. In the long term
they will destroy our communities, our health and our future and our
environment.

The attack on BC's most vulnerable people (all ages, all genders) is one
of the reasons why women have come together to call a Womyn's Walkout
for Dec. 8th. We demand the three Rs: Reinstate all that has been cut;
Replace the starvation level and degrading welfare system with a
Guaranteed Livable Income; and all MLAs who have taken or put people's
lives at risk must Resign.

Only in this way can we save lives, save kids, save our health and
our planet's health.

Cindy L'Hirondelle
Victoria Status of Women Action Group