(The following article is from the March 1-15, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

A week prior to the Jan. 27 federal budget, the Ad Hoc Coalition for Women's Equality and Human Rights sent an Open Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, calling for measures that would strengthen the economy by strengthening the equality of women in Canada. But every key proposal raised by the Coalition was ignored in the budget.

     First, the Tories maintained their opposition to pay equity, refusing to rescind Finance Minister Flaherty's anti-equity proposal in the November economic statement. As the Coalition said, "In the 21st century, women's equality is not, and should never be, a bargaining chip. It is irresponsible to continue to impose discriminatory wages upon half the population by ignoring the remedy, particularly in a time of economic crisis. Equal pay for work of equal value is one of the `fundamentals' of a healthy economy."

     Next, the budget did nothing to advance a Canada-wide child care program, based on the principles of quality, universality, and accessibility. Noting that people's access to the labour market would be greatly facilitated by dependable child care services, the Coalition warns that "soaring child care costs and lack of spaces keep many women who choose to work unemployed or underemployed."

     On the critical issue of Employment Insurance, the Coalition pointed out that "although women pay into EI, most women don't qualify for benefits. 70% of part-time workers are women and almost two-thirds of minimum wage earners in Canada are women. With wages far below the poverty line already, many women can't live on 55% of their salary, even for a short period of time." The Open Letter called for improved access to EI and higher benefit levels for part-time, contract and self-employed workers, none of which is in the budget.

     Finally, the Coalition called for a stimulus package which includes investment in social infrastructure: affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, green technologies and environmental incentives, and improved conditions for Aboriginal people across the country.

     Although the Jan. 27 budget paid lip service so some of these social infrastructure proposals, in general it ignored the real needs which concern member groups of the Ad Hoc Coalition.

     (For more information, see http://www.womensequality.ca)