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
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
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