The press release from Women’s Equality PEI heralds the Liberal government’s promise to “set up a committee on gender-based analysis.” We applaud that move by the government.
The rights of women, long in coming, are considered based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which states at Section 15
15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. (emphasis added)
It is not enough for the province to provide special status for women as an enumerated group. Woman’s rights flow legally from the Charter and included other enumerated minorities such as persons with disabilities, persons of race, differing ethnic origins, sex, age and religion among others.
The rights of all minorities must be considered in the regulation and laws of the Province or Prince Edward Island. Persons with disabilities make up the second largest enumerated group on PEI, 22,000 people or 16% of the population. They are young, working age and seniors, women and men, persons of differing sex, religion and race. ”
For too long they have been relegated to society’s basement, their rights cast into the ash heap of life,” said Stephen Pate Director of PEI Disability Alert.
“Islanders with disabilities cannot be left out of the discussions on Equity.”
Federal Equity legislation includes all enumerated minorities and does not just concern itself only with women.
We call on Premier Robert Ghiz and Minister Docherty honor the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and to construct the equity committee to represent all minorities and not just women.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHARLOTTETOWN — The PEI Status of Women is pleased that the provincial government has passed a motion to set up a committee on gender-based analysis. “We applaud government’s step towards systematically considering gender in PEI policy-making,” says Isabelle Christian, Chairperson of the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
“Gender-based analysis is used around the world to help decision-makers develop policy that responds better to the everyday needs of both female and male citizens,” says Christian. “We look forward to the Province establishing a committee to learn more about this tool. We are sure they will discover, as we have, that it is a helpful way to get a deeper understanding of what parts of society are doing well and what parts are struggling, and how to more equitably benefit all groups.”
Christian continues, “When a particular law or policy fails to work well for women or men in the community — when it creates a barrier for them, or when it fails to recognize the challenges of their everyday lives — they often call agencies like ours to explain how it impacts their lives. Over the years, we have heard from citizens across PEI, both women and men, about negative impacts of policies that with just a little more planning could have had a positive impact.”
Christian concludes, “We know that Islanders benefit in direct, every-day ways from responsive policy-making. We applaud Valerie Docherty, the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, for commitment to finding ways to respond to the different needs of Island women and men. We look forward to seeing what comes out of the committee on gender-based analysis.”
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