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BC Coalition of Women’s Centres
For immediate release
May 30, 2002
 
Gordon Campbell, Geoff Plant in breach of public trust, charges BC Coalition of Women’s Centres
 
Closure of Human Rights Commission, new A-G policy to “tolerate” spousal assault, and restriction of debate on bills, all intolerable in a civil society
 
The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres condemns the Government of British Columbia’s move to close the BC Human Rights Commission today.  The Province of BC will now be the only province in Canada without such a body. 
 
Although the new legislation, which is to be passed today, will preserve the BC Human Rights Tribunal, only about 15% of cases are referred to the tribunal process by the Commission, after investigation and attempts at mediation.  The loss of the Commission, combined with cuts to legal aid for Human Rights cases, will cause a serious power imbalance when individuals are pitted against lawyers for large corporations or even the government.
 
The Human Rights Commission is a system of “last resort” for British Columbians.  Without this system of “last resort,” British Columbians experiencing Human Rights abuses, even those perpetrated by the Government of BC, will have little recourse. 

The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres also condemns the Attorney General’s new policy of “tolerating” spousal assault. 
 
The head of the criminal justice branch of the Attorney General’s department has recently instructed prosecutors in B.C. to reduce crime statistics and cut court costs by refusing to prosecute hundreds of cases of violence each year. 
 
At a conference held at Harrison Hot Springs on May 2-3, four hundred B.C. prosecutors were told to expand their discretionary use of the so-called “diversion” program to include what are referred to as Category 3 offences. 
 
In addition, prosecutors were instructed to be more tolerant of spousal assaults.  The decade-old policy of always laying charges in spousal assault cases is being ditched in favour of a policy of allowing some spousal assaults to be carried out without criminal charges. 
 
The combined effect of these policies will be to reduce the workload of police, Crown Counsel and the criminal courts, and no doubt save some government expenditures.  However, without protection from the justice system, there can be no doubt that not only will more women experience violence, they will experience more of it.  This makes the A-G’s new policies a deliberate attempt to cause an increase in violence against women. 
 
The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres also condemns the use of closure in the debating of Bills now passed in the Legislature: specifically Bill 26 (Employment and Assistance Act) and Bill (Employment and Assistance for People With Disabilities Act). 
 
Gordon Campbell, while in opposition stood in the Legislature April 20, 1999 and called “closure” menacing, autocratic,  an undemocratic assault, draconian and an unjustified measure.  Further, he said  “the legislature has an obligation to protect and defend the rights of minorities against the tyranny of the majority.”
 
Closure was invoked on a number of Bills last week, after very little opportunity was given for discussion.  Bill 26 had been debated for 14 hours.  A bill that will impact BC families, women in poverty and their children, people 55-64, single Moms, people under 19 in cruel ways over a long period of time was only worth 14 hours of debate, according to the BC Government. 
 
Gordon Campbell himself as Opposition Leader told the Legislature that the Premier’s personal and political agenda is not a reason to shut down debate, that closure is a guillotine on the democratic process and a violation of fundamental principles of the Legislature and of the rule of law.
 
The BC Liberals’ use of closure and the ramming through of two of the most cruel and damaging bills in the history of BC is indefensible. 
 
It is clear that Gordon Campbell does not care about democracy or vulnerable people in BC, and in fact  does not care to hear from any of us.  We believe Gordon Campbell’s government to be in serious breach of public trust, and in violation of British Columbia’s obligations to Canadian Charter Rights and International Human Rights Treaties. 

The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres, on behalf of people in poverty and people with disabilities in British Columbia, demands that Gordon Campbell rescind Bill 26 and 27, and begin the consultations that British Columbians have a right to.
 
The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres alerts Geoff Plant that we will never tolerate spousal assaults, and send the message that he has no business in government if he believes anyone ever gave him the mandate to very deliberately put women and children at risk in BC. 

The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres, on behalf of women and marginalized people in British Columbia, also demands that Geoff plant rescind plans to eliminate the BC Human Rights Commission. 

We also demand that the new Attorney-General policy on “tolerating” spousal assault be withdrawn immediately. 

The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres puts this government on notice.  The clock will not be rolled back on women’s right  this government will not balance the budget on the backs of women.  We will not tolerate this government’s calculated and deliberate violence against women. 
 
We call on each and every British Columbian to demand this government be held accountable.   We urge everyone to send Gordon Campbell a clear message that democracy is not for sale in BC, and that his government’s breach of public trust is a violation of every ethical and moral principle that BC was founded on. 

A protest will be held on Friday, May 31 in Chilliwack, where Attorney General Plant is expected to speak at the official opening of the new Chilliwack Courthouse (46085 Yale Road).  (Media are asked to call Charito or June at The Women's Resource Society of the Fraser Valley at 604-820-8455 for more information about this event.) 

The BC Coalition of Women’s Centres will be holding a Women’s Demonstration in June to protest the new welfare bills, the new A-G policy, and the closure of the Human Rights Commission, among other cuts and policy changes affecting women in BC.  Dates and locations are to be announced. 

If you have questions/comments for BCCWC, please e-mail us at bcwomen@telus.net  For other contact information, please go to our Information Page

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