Last Post - Summary of Fight (Bill C-10)

Senators and Parliamentarians pass the Budget Implementation Act without separating the Bills that directly attack womens and workers rights.

As a relatively “young” activist, I have been dedicated for the past 2½ weeks to fighting the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act and certain aspects of the Expenditure Restraint Act. With the assistance of many PSAC members, we have managed to organize several rallies in Nova Scotia, a few protests and mobilized our members to write the Members of Parliament then the Senators who were deciding on this omnibus bill (Bill C-10).

When I first saw the late news last night and Lloyd Robertson began to talk about the Budget bill, I stopped to pay attention. My heart came to my throat when I found out that Senate passed the bill without separating it. It turns out Liberal Leader Michael Ingatieff visited Senate and pressured them to push the bill through. For a minute (maybe a ½ hour) my belief that change can happen failed me.

Ever the optimist I consider myself to be for a short while I felt defeated, personally, as a woman, as a civil servant, as an activist.

Then morning came and as the sun rose over the horizon, my own fire flamed from within. Look at what we DID accomplish in such a short period of time… voices standing up to be heard create awareness, and that eventually will effectively change the way things are done.

I do not feel that my 2½ weeks on this campaign were wasted ones. I believe more in the importance of Political Action and hope that this temporary set back will ignite members to come together in the future, to stand up, to fight back, to let their voices be heard, to be agents of change.

And today as I reflect on all that was done by so many in such a short amount of time I am in awe of those who did stand up, come out to rallies/protests, who did fight back in whatever way they could. Although this “fight” might have been lost, there will be the opportunity in the future for get these rights back to those who fought hard for it.

This blow to women’s rights, can and will be rectified at a future time, when the power shifts back into our hands. I would guess that there would be a high percentage of women turning out to vote at the next federal election.

With gratitude, thanks and solidarity, I make my final entry to this blog.

Lori

The Shifty Finance Minister - Bill C-10

The Senate Standing Committee on National Finance is still looking at Bill C-10. The early senate discussions sound promising with a fair amount of Senators expressing concern that only 57 out of 500 pages (approx) seem to actually have anything with the budget. To view those discussions <click here>

The Senators have referred this bill to the Standing Committee on National Finance and has tasked them with reviewing the bill and making a recommendation back to Senate.

Earlier today while viewing the live webcast of this committee meeting, the Finance Minister Jim Flaherty was speaking before the committee, urging them to pass the bill immediately yet not willingly answering the senators questions about certain "shifty" aspects of the bill.

The idea of splitting the bill was introduced by a number of senators in a few speeches, however final decision on that will not be made today. The Senators were expressing that they could split the bill and have the stimulus package aspect of the bill back to the House of Commons to pass in short order however Flaherty did not want the bill split.

More shiftiness there if you ask me. If one is so concerned with getting the budget passed so it can stimulate the economy why not agree to the split of the bill to expedite the stimulus package and also give the other acts that were buried inside the due diligence that they deserve (that Canadians deserve them to have) and make sure the interest of Canadians is in the forefront?

Things that make you go hmm.

I encourage any and all of you who may read this post to not only continue calling & emailing the Senators, but to also write letters to the editor of your local newspapers. Let's call Government on their attempts to throw women & workers under the wheels of this omniBUS bill!~~

Report Back from Senate Committee Meeting...

Just got back from the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on Bill C-10. The Senators gave Flaherty a really hard time. Lowell Murray, Art Eggleton and Grant Mitchell were particularly good. Mitchell grilled him on pay equity and Eggleton focused on the inadequacy of the changes to EI.

Flaherty's party line is that they need to pass the budget immediately, so they can extend EI benefits for 5 weeks for unemployed people -- he kept coming back to that. When questioned about the fact that only 40% of unemployed people in Canada can access the system, he said, "this is an insurance program, not a welfare program."

Mitchell said "this government can only get its agenda through using tricks" ... asked Flaherty how women in the public sector could be expected to achieve pay equity through the collective bargaining process if the government insists on capping public sector wages and undermining the negotiation process. He also pointed out that women are unlikely to file a complaint to the PSLRB on their own, especially if unions are going to be fined $50,000 for helping them.

Lowell Murray said that even though he's not a member of the committee, he went ahead and drafted motions to sever the stimulus measures from the bill, "should a member of the committee want to present them." Except for two Conservative Senators who lobbed soft balls at Flaherty, it seems like the majority of Senators would support this, based on their comments this morning.

Flaherty kept saying that the stimulus package is "not severable" and pointed out repeatedly that the same committee passed an omnibus Liberal budget in 2005 in two days with no amendments.

Here's an article from Can West that just came out about the meeting:

Senate must pass budget without delay: Flaherty Not after spring break

OTTAWA — Canadians are being hurt by the global recession and can’t afford any delay in passing the federal budget, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told members of the Senate finance committee Tuesday morning. By Meagan Fitzpatrick, Canwest News ServiceMarch 10, 2009 11:02 AM

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he will not support the idea of splitting the budget bill into two parts to speed up its passage through the Senate, but pressed the sense of urgency that he said the budget bill requires. “I’m going to urge you today to deal with this bill right away, and I mean right away,” Flaherty told the committee. “I don’t mean that you go on March break and come back after March break and deal with it. Canadians are entitled to better than that.” Flaherty says he will not support the idea of splitting the bill into two parts to speed up its passage through the Senate, but pressed the sense of urgency that he said the budget bill requires.

“This is a time of crisis for Canadians,” said Flaherty, who came armed with a pile of letters and e-mails from Canadians whom he said were pleading for the employment insurance reforms contained in the bill.

The finance minister said his government did the most extensive pre-budget consultations in history and delivered a sound budget at the end of January that won the support of the official opposition and was quickly passed by the House of Commons.

“This can be an academic discussion around this table, or in the House of Commons but it’s not an academic discussion for people who are not being paid by the government, or people who are losing their jobs or have lost their jobs, and their families,” Flaherty said, “and this bill provides help for them.

“We cannot wait weeks, they cannot wait weeks, or months or a year for reaction to this situation.”

The Senate finance committee asked the finance minister if he would be willing to split the budget bill into two parts and deal first with the economic stimulus measures and the rest of the measures in the bill later.

“I do not want the bill divided,” Flaherty responded. “You’re making an assumption that the stimulus package is severable. It is not.”

Liberal Senator Art Eggleton told the finance minister that the budget bill is extremely complex and that not all measures in it require urgent implementation, which is why the committee wanted it split.

“You’ve thrown in the kitchen sink here. In fact, most of this paper deals with things other than the stimulus package and you expect us to ram it right through,” Eggleton said. “Well, there is a responsibility we have in terms of due diligence."

What's Senate Talking About?

Watch the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance < click here >

Senators, You Are Our Last Hope

Preserve Women’s Rights & Workers Rights

Strengthen Employment Insurance
when so many are facing job losses

Hidden within the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-10) are attacks on Women’s Rights & Workers Rights. This Bill has been passed by the House of Commons and is now in the Senate. The Senators have the power to carve out parts of the bill before they give it Royal Acclaim.

The Senators are our last hope in trying to preserve a woman’s right to pay equity, our last hope to preserve workers rights and to strengthen Employment Insurance. This Bill has been fast forwarded through the House of Commons and already in one day is on its second reading in Senate.

Call or email the Senators TODAY and ask them to do the following to the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-10):

· Remove wage roll-backs - These undermine worker’s rights and threaten free collective bargaining

· Take out women’s right to Pay Equity - Pay Equity is a Human Right and has no place in the budget


· Strengthen Employment Insurance - With so many job losses in Canada and more in the foreseeable future the budget needs to do more to make it easier for those to receive EI


for listing of senators - <click here>
for more information – www.psac.com

Update - What to do next?

Last night the liberal MP's voted against the amendments and voted with the conservatives to support Bill-C-10.

It will now be presented to the Senate with the same process as in the House, first reading, then to committee, then second and third reading. Once it has been completed in the senate then it receives royal assent. However there are possibilities that a bill can be referred back to the House.

So this is what we ask...contact your Liberal, Conservative and Independent (Bill Casey) MP's who voted to support Bill C-10, either by email, letter or phone call and say how disappointed and angry you are with their decision. These MP's need to know.

You can find a list of Senators at this link (click here). You should send emails, letters, and phone calls and asked them to carve out pay equity of Bill C-10 and amend the bill on rolls backs and EI.

This afternoon at the United Nations in New York, women are gathering to condemn the Harper government's record on women's rights which are indeed human rights. Please join in with their voices in trying to make some noise. It is after all International Women's Week. What a slap in the face of women that our government pass such an act when we should be celebrating how far we have come.

Rally in Sydney - Bill C-10

Rally - Rally - Rally
Solidairity March / Rally in opposition of Bill C-10

Where: In front of Taxation Centre
47 Dorchester St. Sydney, NS

When: TODAY - March 5/09 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Noon Time Rally

Why: In opposition of Bill C-10 - in particular the acts pertaining to
Wage Roll Backs - Pay Equity - Employment Insurance

How You Can Make A Difference:

Show up - Be Vocal - Make Some Noise

Support your brothers & sisters who are directly affected by this bill passing in house as it was originally presented by the Conservative Government. Remember that it does affect us all, some now, the rest later.

International Women's Day Events & Senator Letter

This week there are a host of events going on all over the place in celebration and recognition of International Women's Day (IWD).

How fitting is it that Harper's Conservative Government is trying to push through this Public Sector Equitable Compensations Act which is an attack on a woman's right to Pay Equity during this time we are supposed to be celebration women, women's rights and how far we have come.

What can you do? Ask your local IWD coordinator if they have anyone coming in with information on Bill C-10 the Public Sector Equitable Compensations Act and the attack on Pay Equity. If so find out how you can get involved. If not come prepared to talk to the women you meet at these events and ask them to fax, call or e-mail their MP's and ask their Members of Parliament to support the removal of this act from the Budget Implementation Act Bill C-10.

This week the Senate is gearing up to hear the proposed amendments to the bill. One of the senators asked for more information regarding the Pay Equity aspect of the bill and expressed concerns that Pay Equity was even in the act.

You can act now... look at the below sample letter to the Senators, modify it, personalize it and send it off (no postage required) to the senators (Click Here for Names of Senate). Take action now to try to save women's rights... human rights.

Dear Senator(s):

Pay equity is a fundamental human right that has been protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act since 1977. The Supreme Court of Canada has recognized that when a government violates women’s rights to pay equity, this is also an infringement of their constitutional equality rights.

This is simply another attack of women’s rights by the Harper government. The Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act will not help the economy or save jobs. Government officials have admitted that there is no proof it will save the government any money.

I am extremely concerned that the government would table such a bill, and I call on you to put pressure on this government to ensure that the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act is removed from the Budget Implementation Act.

Do not use the budget to eliminate pay equity.

Pay equity is a fundamental human right that should not be traded away at a bargaining table.

Bill C-10 violates a 2007 Supreme Court of Canada decision that found free collective bargaining to be encompassed and protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.



A concerned Canadian,

Remember the only way to achieve change is action and awareness, why not do both!?

What you can do...

The rallies were a success, national media coverage was had, but it's not over yet.

Liberal MP Geoff Regan was quoted by CTV as saying "We misguided our fire". Because the conservative government put forward this bill (C-10) we know that they will not help to remove the offensive aspects of that bill (Pay Equity, Wage Roll Backs and strengthen EI), the NDP put forward an amendment to take those things out of the bill so they support us in our fight, the Bloc as well support us to have these things removed from the budget so who does that leave?

The Liberal Government. So I dare say our "fire" was not misdirected. We are concentrating our efforts on the Liberal MP's because that is who is left to help fight this fight for us in the House of Commons.

The other quote that stood out for me in the CTV interview was how Mr. Regan said the Liberals would reverse the changes when they got into power. How is this leadership? I can't wrap my brain around it.

They have the opportunity now to removed these 3 things from the budget, yet they don't want to because they are not ready for an election. Neither are we, but this is a chance we must take.

To throw a woman's right to fair and equal pay under the bus, to take money away from workers who will be putting it back into the economy, to support weakening of EI, make it harder for those who are losing their jobs now to find means to live.

I dare say this is not showing us leadership at all. How can we trust the liberals when it comes down to an election if they do not support us in our time of need?

As a citizen of Canada, a woman, a mother of two daughters I demand more from my elected MPs. So continue to write, call , email and fax your Liberal MPs, the senators. Keep these important issues at the forefront of their thoughts. We want these things removed from bill C-10.

Fight for Women's Pay Equity.

Fight for a better Employment Insurance program.

Fight for a stop to wage roll backs and preserve the right to free collective bargaining.