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| Media Releases | ||
CHIEF JUSTICE BEVERLEY MCLACHLIN HAS BETRAYED BOTH HERSELF AND HER COURT Media Release REAL Women of Canada is one of the 41 signatories of the letter of complaint... Read article here. THE ORDER OF CANADA IS NO HONOUR Media Release The appointment of Morgentaler to the Order of Canada makes obvious... Read article here. COURT SMASHES GOVERNMENT POLICY ON DRUG ADDICTION Media Release A single judge on the Supreme Court of BC, Mr. Justice Pitfield, handed down a decision... Read article here. GRANT TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE Media Release The announcement today by the Conservative Government of a $111 million grant to be directed... Read article here. EXPOSURE OF THE FAILURES OF VANCOUVER DRUG INJECTION SITE Media Release The Final Report of an Expert Advisory Committee summarizing evidence-based research on the injection site in Vancouver... Read article here. ONTARIO PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES WILL BE DEFEATED IN THE 2011 PROVINCIAL ELECTION IF JOHN TORY REMAINS PARTY LEADER Media Release In September 2004, REAL Women wrote to members of the then Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus... Read article here. FAMILIES WELCOME GOVERNMENT’S DRUG STRATEGY Media Release It is fitting that the federal government should announce its anti-drug strategy... Read article here. YOUNG GIRLS TO BE UNWITTING SUBJECTS OF A MASSIVE RESEARCH EXPERIMENT HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS VACCINE (HPV), GARDASIL For Immediate Release
In its March, 2007 budget, the Conservative government included $300 million to be distributed... Read article here. HEARINGS BY STATUS OF WOMEN COMMITTEE A HOAX For Immediate Release
The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women, on which the opposition holds the majority, is conducting... Read article here. |
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CHIEF JUSTICE BEVERLEY MCLACHLIN HAS BETRAYED BOTH HERSELF AND HER COURT Media Release REAL Women of Canada is one of the 41 signatories of the letter of complaint, dated August 13, 2008, laid with the Canadian Judicial Council against Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. The complaint is based on the actions of the Chief Justice while serving as Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada. (See copy of complaint attached) In carrying out her responsibilities, Chief Justice McLachlin, contrary to established precedent, overruled the decisions of previous councils to reject Henry Morgentaler for the Order of Canada. Moreover, decisions to appoint to the Order of Canada have previously been based on the consensus of Council members, but, in this particular case, there was no consensus. In making Morgentaler a member of the Order of Canada, the Chief Justice also ignored the fact that Morgentaler was reprimanded in 1976 and had his medical license temporarily removed for unprofessional conduct by the Disciplinary Committee of the Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec. To appoint to the Order of Canada a nominee reprimanded by his professional association is in violation of section 3(b)(i) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada. Chief Justice McLachlin knew, or should have known, that her actions as Chairperson of the Advisory Council would compromise the integrity of the judiciary, since legal actions dealing with Morgentaler have in the past, and will again, in the near future, be brought before the Supreme Court. Since the Chief Justice has designated Morgentaler as worthy of distinction, her impartiality and integrity in these legal matters have now been severely compromised. Chief Justice McLachlin had the duty to uphold the accepted standards of judicial conduct, of impartiality and fairness. She failed to do so. Confidence in her and her court has now been seriously undermined. As a result, the Judicial Council should recommend the removal of Madam Justice McLachlin from the Supreme Court of Canada. This complaint is laid in the full knowledge that Chief Justice McLachlin also serves as the Chairperson of the Canadian Judicial Council. Her obvious conflict of interest in this complaint also requires that she immediately step down from her role as Chairperson of the Canadian Judicial Council.
Contact: C. Gwendolyn Landolt, National Vice President, REAL Women of Canada |
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THE ORDER OF CANADA IS NO HONOUR Media Release The appointment of Morgentaler to the Order of Canada makes obvious the fact that the Order, established in 1967, has become a political tool to promote the left-wing agenda. Over the years, the Order of Canada has mainly been awarded to feminists, homosexuals, environmentalists, left-wing broadcasters, writers and others involved in promoting the political left. Rarely has the Order of Canada recognized the services of those who take a conservative approach to issues. It is a different matter for those receiving recognition as Members of the Order of Canada for accomplishments of local and regional significance. However, for those appointed as Officers or Companions for recognition of their accomplishments on the national and international scene, it is their activism on the left side of the political ledger rather than their contribution to Canada as a whole that is being recognized. Considering the small number of votes the NDP gets at election time, it is remarkable that a large number of its partisans have won recognition over the years by the Order of Canada. Since it is politics, rather than achievement, that is the operating principle of the Order of Canada, the Order has no honour. In view of the political debacle that the Order of Canada has become, it is reasonable to question why Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin is chairing such a partisan agency. The Order of Canada should be discarded because it is a partisan organ, which is meaningless to most Canadians – for good reason.
Contact: C. Gwendolyn Landolt, National Vice President, REAL Women of Canada
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COURT SMASHES GOVERNMENT POLICY ON DRUG ADDICTION Media Release A single judge on the Supreme Court of BC, Mr. Justice Pitfield, handed down a decision on May 27, 2008, that took the olympian approach to judgeship. He did this by concluding that he knows best how to deal with drug addiction in Canada contrary to the policies of the federal government, which has jurisdiction over the issue. The government’s drug policy is to provide for a three-pillar approach to drug addiction by way of prevention (education), treatment and enforcement of drug laws, which has proven to be the only effective method of dealing with drug addiction. |
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Media Release The announcement today by the Conservative Government of a $111 million grant to be directed to drug prevention is the triumph of common sense over politics a factor long absent from Canada’s drug policies. Young people need to hear the plain truth about the dangers of illicit drugs since it takes such a terrible toll on lives. Treatment is an important part of the solution to Canada’s drug problem and improved access to quality services made possible by this grant will go a long way in helping youths with drug problems, their families and their communities. With this grant, we can now be confident that more people addicted to drugs will be helped through their difficulties rather than maintained on a vicious cycle of addiction. Increased treatment, not increased injection, is the only sensible way to proceed. The grant also makes it possible for early intervention treatment, which will reduce and eliminate the progression and severity of illicit drug use. This will help young people to recover from their addiction and result in their becoming contributing members of society, rather than existing only for their next "fix". Health Minister Tony Clement and the Conservative government are to be applauded for this step forward in solving the drug problem in Canada. Their solution is long overdue. Contact: |
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EXPOSURE OF THE FAILURES OF VANCOUVER DRUG INJECTION SITE Media Release The Final Report of an Expert Advisory Committee summarizing evidence-based research on the injection site in Vancouver has exposed it as a failure. It has also exposed the fallacy of the arguments used to support the site when it was first established in 2003.. The federal government should immediately withdraw its support for the site to indicate its willingness to learn from past mistakes, and to deal with the reality of the situation made apparent by the Advisory Committee’s report. This report on the Vancouver site, which latter costs the taxpayers $3 million annually to operate, includes the following findings: Only 5% of injections take place at this site and 95% of drug injections take place outside the site; In view of the failure of the Vancouver Injection site, it is time now to focus on that which has been proven to be effective against drug addiction: prevention and treatment. That is where our tax dollars should be expended. The federal government should withdraw support from the Vancouver Site so that the money spent on the site can now be moved to funding projects that are effective, such as prevention and treatment. Contact:
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Media Release In September 2004, REAL Women wrote to members of the then Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus stating that unless there were substantial changes in the party platform, as well in the leader, we predicted that the party would be defeated in the 2007 provincial election.
REAL Women was prescient in this regard. There was little in the Progressive Conservative 2007 election platform to distinguish it from that of the Liberal Party. This led to the Progressive Conservative Party’s electoral defeat.
REAL Women has again written to the present Progressive Conservative caucus in a letter dated November 28, 2007 advising it that the REAL Women can, with some assurance, predict a Liberal victory in the 2011 provincial election unless there are substantial changes to the Progress Conservative platform and its leader John Tory.
That is, Ontario has changed since the era of Premier William Davis in that the province has moved by incremental stages to the right. The result of this is that there can no longer be a Conservative victory in this province without the support of social conservatives.
The voter turnout for the October election hit a record low, breaking the record set in 1923 of 54.7%. In fact, only 52.6% of the eligible voters in Ontario went to the polls in October 2007. One can be certain that many of the no-shows at the polling booths were social conservatives who believed there was no major party for which they could cast their vote.
It is realized that the proposed funding of faith-based schools was a contributing factor to the Progressive Conservative defeat. To our certain knowledge, however, many Jewish and Christian supporters of faith-based schools did not accept the proposal of Mr. Tory on faith-based schools, because of the strings attached to it. Many believed that the funding was a step toward the integration of the denominational schools into the public school system. Conservative strategists ignored the fact that less than half of the faith-based schools would consider its funding proposal (November 2007 issue of Policy Options Magazine).
Another concern arose over Mr. Tory’s failure to promote and support the traditional family of mother, father and children so necessary for the continuation of society. Instead, Mr. Tory continued to promote homosexuality and same-sex marriage as equivalent to marriage of a man and a woman. The fact that same-sex marriage has been legalized albeit by undemocratic means does not make it either right or acceptable to social conservatives.
Mr. Tory’s apparent lack of concern for traditional values was also exemplified by his marching in the Gay Parade in Toronto in 2007. He had little understanding that this action sealed his political doom.
Further, it has not gone unnoticed that Mr. Tory has just appointed as his Chief of Staff Andy Pringle, a former member of the Fundraising Advisory Committee for the homosexual 519 Community Centre in Toronto.
Mr. Tory’s support of homosexual behavior (not just homosexuals as individuals) was apparent by his comments reported in the homosexual newspaper Capital Xtra (September 6, 2007 issue). Mr. Tory indicated in his interview, that he was open to the promotion of homosexuality in the schools and otherwise which again was deeply disturbing to social conservative parents.
It is hoped that the Progressive Conservative party will, in its analysis of its recent defeat, consider a leader and a platform more suitable for these political times which means one who is more attuned to socially conservative values. To do otherwise, will, regretfully, we predict, lead to another electoral defeat for the Party in 2011. Contact:
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FAMILIES WELCOME GOVERNMENT’S DRUG STRATEGY Media Release It is fitting that the federal government should announce its anti-drug strategy during National Family Week. The family pays the heaviest emotional and social price when drug addiction victimizes one of its members. Whether a parent’s child caring abilities are harmed by drug abuse, or whether a child’s development is irreparably damaged due to drug use, drug addiction is a terrible tragedy for families.
Canadian families welcome the $64 million anti-drug initiative and believe that it is long overdue. With two thirds of the funding directed toward prevention and treatment, the harmful effects on young lives is finally being recognized by the federal government and concrete action is being taken. REAL Women of Canada has long advocated a multi level approach to this serious social and medical problem: education, enforcement, protection and treatment. The federal government’s strategy meets these basic requirements and offers hope for a better future for Canadians as we move towards a drug free and more productive society. Contact: |
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For Immediate Release
In its March, 2007 budget, the Conservative government included $300 million to be distributed to the provinces to administer Gardasil, a Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) manufactured by Merck Frosst. The drug had been approved for use by Health Canada in July, 2006.
Since this drug was approved, however, serious problems with it have emerged. As a result, REAL Women of Canada has written to the provincial and territorial Ministers of Health requesting that the drug not be made available in their respective provinces. The province of Nova Scotia, unfortunately, has already gone ahead to make the drug available to Grade VII students. As a result, REAL Women has requested that this decision to make the drug available in Nova Scotia be withdrawn as soon as possible.
The problems with the use of Gardasil include the following:
There are only limited data on the effects of the drug on pre-teen and early teen-age girls. The drug has been tested on fewer than 1,200 girls, ages 9 to 15 years, and the research has been almost exclusively on young women 16 to 23 years of age. This raises questions about the drug’s efficacy, safety, and long-term effects. It would appear that any young girl, to whom Gardasil is to be administered, will be the unwitting subject of a massive research experiment.
There is uncertainty as to the length of time the vaccine will provide protection, and, consequently, if and when booster shots will be required. It is known that Gardasil is a prophylactic vaccine that targets the viruses that lead to cancer, rather than cancer itself, and that cervical cancer is a slow developing disease. Cancer data show that the average cervical cancer patient is 47 years of age and that HPV incubates for up to 15 years before becoming cancerous. That is, it manifests itself when the woman is in her thirties decades after young girls may have been administered the vaccine. There are no data available as to the actual effectiveness of this drug over this long intervening period of time.
There are more than 100 types of HPV, about 40 of which can cause cancer but the HPV vaccine protects against only 4 of the HP Viruses. There are known side effects to Gardasil, mostly neurological symptoms, which include severe headaches, dizziness, temporary loss of vision, slurred speech, fainting (seizures), joint pain, muscle weakness, and involuntary contraction of the limbs. In the United States, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has reported 1,261 such incidents. Several deaths have also been reported. Moreover, the long term neurological or immune system complications caused by the drug are completely unknown. It is uncertain if any of those vaccinated will go on to develop fertility problems, cancer, or genetic damage: the drug manufacturer, Merck Frosst, admits, in its product insert, that these possibilities have not been studied.
According to Statistics Canada, there are approximately 400 deaths a year in Canada caused by cervical cancer, whereas there are 5,400 deaths from breast cancer. The cause(s) of breast cancer are not yet known. It is known, however, that HPV is contracted only through sexual activity and is the most common sexually transmitted disease. Most HPVs are harmless, while others are self-limited infections, i.e., they typically disappear within two years, and most infected individuals do not even realize they have the virus.
Pap smears still remain the best tool available for preventing cervical cancer. If all women received a regular pap smear, cervical cancer would be virtually eliminated. Unfortunately, marginalized women, such as those who are poor, immigrants or minorities and others who lack access to health care programs that include pap smears, are greatly disadvantaged. It is they who should be targeted, not pre-pubescent girls.
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HEARINGS BY STATUS OF WOMEN COMMITTEE A HOAX For Immediate Release
The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women, on which the opposition holds the majority, is conducting four days of televised hearings on the topic of the potential impact of the funding cuts at Status of Women Canada.
The Committee selected the groups which were to testify before it. The score: 27 groups who opposed the cuts and a total of only 3 groups who supported the cuts, including REAL Women of Canada. Although REAL Women has extensive background knowledge about Status of Women funding, we didn't even make the initial selection. Only after extensive pressure was the Committee prepared to hear our views on the subject.
The 27 witnesses opposed to the cuts with only a couple of exceptions, are all funded by the Status of Women and according to their testimony, regarded these grants as their "entitlements." Having no other source of income but taxpayers' dollars, they described the cuts as "anti-women", crippling the involvement of women in the public debate in Canada. REAL Women does not receive funds from the Status of Women but has managed to be involved in the public debate solely with the financial support of our members.
This remarkable lack of balance in the number of witnesses appearing before the Committee raises the question as to why was a review held in the first place, since the Committee's conclusions are obviously preordained?
Since the committee proceedings are televised by CPAC, it is reasonable to conclude that the purpose of these hearings is to provide fodder for the upcoming election to attempt to back the claim that the Conservatives are, in fact, "anti-women." Not only have these special interest groups of women already received many millions of dollars since 1973 from the Status of Women - now this Committee is spending even more taxpayers' money paying all the witnesses' expenses in order to hoodwink the public into thinking that these cuts are offensive to "women". The cuts are only offensive to the special interest group of feminists whose extremist views are not supported by mainstream women.
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