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20
Questions for Federal Candidates
BC
Coalition of Women's Centres:
Women's Votes Count! Canadian Federal Election 2004
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20
Questions in PDF format 
(PDF)
- In Canada, women
make up the majority of our population (51-52%). Unfortunately, we
remain under-represented in government.
a) What % of women in your Party hold significant positions?
b) How does your Party plan to ensure that your party make up is more
reflective of the population?
- The federal
government is legally responsible for ensuring provinces and territories
uphold International Human Rights Treaties which Canada has signed.
However, there is currently no system in place to monitor or enforce
provincial and territorial compliance. Will your Party advocate to
implement a mechanism at the national level by which women can ensure
provinces and territories are held accountable to International Human
Rights Treaties?
- How would you
as a Member of Parliament vote in the House on the question of access
to abortion services?
-
Has your Party
enacted or supported legislation that recognizes the rights of women
and children to be safe in their own homes? Knowing that current
legislation has not been effective enough, what else does your Party
propose to increase safety for all women and children?
-
What commitment
and action does your Party plan to decrease the high levels of violence
committed against women and children?
-
Considering
RCMP directives are a federal matter, what steps would your Party
take specifically to ensure RCMP members will take reports of violence
against women more seriously?
-
What plans,
if any, does your Party have for implementing action plans, effective
policies and programs, and financing to equip women's centres with
the means to put an end to all forms of violence against women and
children?
- The vast majority
of people living below the poverty level are women and children. Minimum
jobs with no benefits and no pensions do not address women's poverty.
What specific strategies has your Party adopted aimed at the elimination
of poverty?
-
Almost half
of single elderly women live below the poverty line. What measures
would your Party be willing to take to increase old age security
payments to provide older women with a decent standard of living?
-
Canada now
has over 5 million poor people: 70% are women and children. Is your
Party prepared to adopt national standards which guarantee the right
to welfare (or equivalent) for everyone in need?
- Children are
currently forced to see parents that have sexually abused them. What
is your Party willing to do to ensure that children of sexual abuse
are not forced to visit the offending parent?
- Is your Party
willing to implement a Sex Offender Registry for ALL Sex Offenders
and not just ones that are considered high risk to re-offend?
- What would your
Party be willing to contribute towards the promised national child
care fund?
- What will your
Party do to extend Canada's human rights legislation so that the fundamental
Human Rights of Aboriginal women living on reserve are protected?
- Is your Party
prepared to take specific measures to ensure lesbians, gay men and
two spirited individuals have equal opportunity in areas of legislation
and public policy reform?
- Homelessness
is at crisis proportions in Canada. Would your Party be willing to
spend an additional 1% of the budget on top of what is currently being
spent on social housing so that more social housing units could be
built in all Canadian provinces?
- Worldwide, the
gap between rich and poor is widening. Does your Party support the
cancellation of the debts of the world's poorest countries and an
increase in our contribution to international aid?
- Will your Party
commit to performing a gender analysis of and overhauling the Employment
Insurance system so that it recognizes that the majority of Canadian
part-time workers are women, that women are primary caregivers, and
that women make up a significant number of seasonal workers?
- Would your Party
support and work towards implementing a federal child support enforcement
program?
-
Women represent
the most vulnerable and marginalized voices in Canada. Is your Party
prepared to provide $50 million in core funding for equality-seeking
women's organizations?
Source: BC
Coalition of Women's Centres' 20 Questions for Federal Candidates
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