The 2015 Canadian election saw the historic win of the Liberal Party, ousting Prime Minister Stephen Harper after nearly a decade in power. The election was characterized by strategic voting, and the “Anybody but Harper” sentiment was raging all throughout Canada, as millions voted gathered to vote him out of office (Howard and Gillies, 2). How did this anti-Harper sentiment emerge? This essay argues that premise that it is a byproduct of Harper’s controversial stances on issues relating to women’s rights. A report issued by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives indicated that during Harper’s time in power, Canada exhibited a lack of political will to accomplish equality between genders (Madondo, 2015). This report established during
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Additionally, he made astronomical cuts to Canada’s national childcare program, amounting to $1 billion. Laura Woods writes, “Harper dramatically cut the funding of what was Canada’s most important body for promoting gender equity, Status of Women Canada. Status of Women Canada provided advocacy, research and lobbying on behalf of women’s groups. The government closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of SWC and their operating budget was cut by 38 per cent. Changes were imposed to the criteria for funding for the Status of Women Canada’s Women’s Program that essentially barred advocacy and lobbying groups from receiving funding.” (Woods, 2011) Furthermore, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reported, that although Aboriginal women comprise of only 4% of Canada’s female population, 16% of all women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2010 were indigenous (TRC, 2012). These terrifying statistics illustrate that the scale and severity of brutality that this group of women face comprises of a human rights crisis. When activist groups demanded the government at least create an inquiry, Harper immediately shut it down, dispassionately saying, “Um… it isn't really high on our radar” (CBC News, 2015). Moreover, Harper branded his government as adamantly anti-abortion when he blatantly refused to support abortion in foreign-aid projects. This made Canada the sole G8 country that opposed abortion as an integral element of family planning projects in Third World countries (Delacourt,
Additionally, he made astronomical cuts to Canada’s national childcare program, amounting to $1 billion. Laura Woods writes, “Harper dramatically cut the funding of what was Canada’s most important body for promoting gender equity, Status of Women Canada. Status of Women Canada provided advocacy, research and lobbying on behalf of women’s groups. The government closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of SWC and their operating budget was cut by 38 per cent. Changes were imposed to the criteria for funding for the Status of Women Canada’s Women’s Program that essentially barred advocacy and lobbying groups from receiving funding.” (Woods, 2011) Furthermore, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reported, that although Aboriginal women comprise of only 4% of Canada’s female population, 16% of all women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2010 were indigenous (TRC, 2012). These terrifying statistics illustrate that the scale and severity of brutality that this group of women face comprises of a human rights crisis. When activist groups demanded the government at least create an inquiry, Harper immediately shut it down, dispassionately saying, “Um… it isn't really high on our radar” (CBC News, 2015). Moreover, Harper branded his government as adamantly anti-abortion when he blatantly refused to support abortion in foreign-aid projects. This made Canada the sole G8 country that opposed abortion as an integral element of family planning projects in Third World countries (Delacourt,