BC Coalition of Women's Centres
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For immediate release
January 17th 2003
“BLACK THURSDAY” --
Not the Only Bad News For BC Women
British Columbia -- The news delivered to women’s services and many other
groups January 17th, 2002 was only the tip of the iceberg. The three
year plan announced last year included cutting 100% Ministry of Community,
Aboriginal and Women’s Services to women’s centres March 2004. For many
we thought we had two years before the cuts began-we were wrong.
In the last 12 months Women’s Centres have had a range of provincial funding
contracts cancelled and/or not renewed from a host of Ministries- the latest
blow has been the Direct Access Gaming funding. Women’s Centres have either
not received Gaming funding or received less than half, 4 months late.
For the majority of Centres this current slash in funding means that Centres
have already cut staff, services and programs and some are in jeopardy of
closing altogether.
A plea for help made by the BC Coalition of Women’s Centres to Minister
Lynn Stephens months ago has been ignored. Once again Minister Stephens
committed to “look into” the Gaming funding crisis and after doing so referred
us to the Minister responsible for gaming who is yet to respond. Minister
Lynn Stephens made it clear to the Coalition and its members that a crisis
in Women’s Centres is not a priority for her.
Every women’s centre in BC has reported to Minister Stephens an increase
in service requests. Women’s Centres are busier than ever as a direct result
of cuts to income assistance, legal aid, disability benefits, employment
standards, human rights, health, education and jobs. Women’s centres are overwhelmed
by the fall out of the provincial cuts.
The BC Liberals have been swift and effective in launching an attack on
women and women’s services across the province- women in communities
are going without food and shelter, women are being trapped into violent
relationships, women are giving up their children because they can’t feed
them, women are turning to survival sex, women are at extreme risk and the
BC Liberals don’t care.
On the anniversary of Black Thursday, the BC Coalition of Women’s Centres
once again calls on Minister Lynn Stephens to resign. This year has
clearly demonstrated that Minister Stephens not only refuses to stand up for
women, she has in fact actively and silently betrayed women across this province.
BC Women can no longer trust or count on Minister Stephens.
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bcwomen@telus.net
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BC Coalition of Women's Centres
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This page last updated:
January 31, 2003
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