Council in solidarity - Mar. 8 - #DayWithoutAWoman

[Oscar]

The Council of Canadians in solidarity with #DayWithoutAWoman strike, March 8

[ http://canadians.org/blog/council-canad ... ke-march-8 ]

March 6, 2017 - 8:04 pm

The Council of Canadians is in solidarity with the #DayWithoutAWoman general strike on March 8.

As noted on the organizing website, "On International Women's Day, March 8th, women and our allies will act together for equity, justice and the human rights of women and all gender-oppressed people, through a one-day demonstration of economic solidarity. In the same spirit of love and liberation that inspired the Women's March, we join together in making March 8th A Day Without a Woman, recognizing the enormous value that women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system--while receiving lower wages and experiencing greater inequities, vulnerability to discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity."

One can take action in the following ways:

• Women take the day off, from paid and unpaid labour
• Avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses)
• Wear red in solidarity with A Day Without A Woman

Some of the women at the Council of Canadians will be participating in the day in these ways as well as by watching the film Suffragette (you can watch the trailer here: [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=056FI2Pq9RY ]), participating in a protest condemning the taxi driver and judge in the recent decision of not guilty on a sexual assault charge in Halifax, and other actions.

While the strike is in response to sexist and misogynist comments by US President Donald Trump, we are also drawing attention to the actions of our self-described feminist prime minister.

The Canadian Press has reported, "[Justin Trudeau] received a shout-out from Trump in his first speech to a joint session of the US Congress [on February 28], with a salute to a joint project they recently launched together. The president mentioned Trudeau while highlighting the women's business group created during the prime minister's recent visit to Washington, which involves the president's daughter Ivanka."

Globe and Mail columnist Leah McLaren comments, "These are the things we do for trade deals [but] was it really necessary for our feminist Prime Minister to make such an utter mockery of women's rights (which are under real threat in the United States at the moment) while he was on a social visit to casually secure broader points of the North American free-trade agreement?" And Press Progress has also noted the NAFTA strategy behind the women's business group and how it helped Trump given he "has been accused of sexually assaulting over a dozen women."

In The Jacobin, Cinzia Arruzza and Tithi Bhattacharya write, "The strike will take place in at least forty countries — the first internationally coordinated day of protest on such a large scale in years."

They add, "Many discussions about the strike, particularly in the United States, have centered on whether it is correct to call March 8 a 'strike' at all, rather than a demonstration. This criticism misses the point. Women’s strikes have always been more encompassing in their targets and aims than traditional walkouts over wages and working conditions. ...Moreover, because of the sexual division of labor in the formal labor market, a vast number of women hold precarious jobs, don’t have labor rights, are unemployed, or are undocumented workers."

And Arruzza and Bhattacharya conclude, "Instead of a narrow focus on workplace struggles, we need to connect movements based on gender, race, ethnicity, and sexuality together with labor organizing and environmental activism. Only by creating this collective totality will we be able to address the complexity of issues and demands put forward by these various forms of mobilization. This is the path that the International Women’s Strike is pursuing, with its expansive platform and inclusiveness."

For an FAQ on the strike, please click here:
[ https://www.womensmarch.com/march-8th-faq ]

#DayWithoutAWoman

Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]

[Oscar]

London chapter & Maude Barlow celebrate International Women's Day

[ http://canadians.org/blog/london-chapte ... womens-day ]

March 8, 2017 - 12:54 am

The Council of Canadians London chapter hosted Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow for a social get-together on March 7 prior to her public forum in that community on March 8.

The chapter and Barlow sang the song "Bread and Roses" together in the kitchen of chapter activists Roberta and Rory Cory while holding an International Women's Day banner made by chapter activist Julie Picken-Cooper.

One of the verses of that song is as follows:

"As we go marching, marching, we're standing proud and tall.
The rising of the women means the rising of us all.
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life's glories, bread and roses, bread and roses."

The song originated from a speech by American feminist, socialist and labour union leader Rose Schneiderman during a strike in 1912 in Massachusetts in which she made the appeal for both fair wages and dignified conditions.

Barlow is speaking today in London at Western University on the global water crisis and the battle for the right to water.

Barlow has highlighted that water is a women's issue. To listen to her October 2008 speech 'Water: The Most Pressing Women's Issue', please click here: [ https://www.mixcloud.com/bigideasaudio/ ... ens-issue/ ]. Access to clean, safe drinking water is a fundamental right and women are disproportionately affected when governments fail to provide adequate water and sanitation services.

The Council of Canadians as a national organization also stands in support of the #DayWithoutAWoman general strike.

As noted on the organizing website, "On International Women's Day, March 8th, women and our allies will act together for equity, justice and the human rights of women and all gender-oppressed people, through a one-day demonstration of economic solidarity. In the same spirit of love and liberation that inspired the Women's March, we join together in making March 8th A Day Without a Woman, recognizing the enormous value that women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system--while receiving lower wages and experiencing greater inequities, vulnerability to discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity."

One can take action in the following ways:
• Women take the day off, from paid and unpaid labour
• Avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses)
• Wear red in solidarity with A Day Without A Woman

The strike will take place in at least forty countries around the world.

The Council of Canadians denounces sexism and gender-based violence and harassment - and is committed to ending sexism and violence against women. We believe in gender justice and the protection of the human rights of gay, lesbian, bi, queer, trans, Two-Spirit and gender nonconforming people.

Tags: chapters
[ http://canadians.org/tags/chapters ]

Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]

[Oscar]

MAY: Statement on International Women’s Day 2017

[ https://www.greenparty.ca/en/statement/ ... s-day-2017 ]

March 08, 2017

(OTTAWA) – Today, during International Women’s Day, the Green Party of Canada joins Canadians as they celebrate the achievements of women, while recognizing the challenges that lie ahead:

“As we celebrate women around the world today, we must remain vigilant on issues of gender equality. In Canada, we are finally making progress on pay equity for women,” said Elizabeth May, Party Leader and MP (Saanich-Gulf Islands). “In October 2016, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour committed to bringing forward legislation for pay equity, and I urge the Minister to introduce this legislation as soon as possible.

"Despite progress, we must recognize that we still live in a patriarchy. The advent of Trump has created an apparent permission to be misogynist. We have to be very vigilant to step up for women's rights.

“By embarking on meaningful policy action in government, we can advance equality and accelerate gender parity. Inequality and gender bias in the workplace must be eliminated, and the government needs to lead.”

“We also await meaningful action resulting from the national inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, and we must continue to support societal institutions that confront violence against women as a whole. There is still much work to be done.”

International Women’s Day was first recognized by the U.N. General Assembly in 1977 and is celebrated on March 8 every year. - 30 -

For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
dan.palmer@greenparty.ca
m: (613) 614-4916